Hundreds of UK petrol stations are failing to meet legal requirements to report live price changes to the Government's Fuel Finder system, an investigation by the Press Association has revealed. The system, designed to help drivers find the cheapest fuel, has been mandatory since February 2, 2026, but many sites have not provided any petrol prices for weeks.
Non-Compliance Details
Analysis of data submitted to Fuel Finder shows that of the sites that have provided data, 1,751 last submitted a petrol price change more than a week ago, including 96 that had not supplied an update for at least a month. Simon Williams of the RAC said it is "not plausible that so many haven’t changed prices in a week, let alone a month", adding that "most retailers receive new fuel supply at least once a week".
A total of 7,765 open forecourts had provided prices for E10 petrol as of July 6, 2026. However, separate figures from My Automate show there were 8,338 sites operating in the UK as of May 31, indicating hundreds are missing from the database. Some 226 forecourts registered on Fuel Finder have either not submitted data or are listed as temporarily closed.
Supermarket Stations Among Offenders
Of the 7,765 forecourts with data, 2,229 are supermarket filling stations, of which 410 had not uploaded a price change in at least a week. This includes major supermarket chains that are expected to comply with the rules. The Petrol Retailers Association noted that smaller, rural sites which only receive fuel deliveries about once per month may be among those not providing frequent updates.
Government and CMA Response
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer previously described the scheme as "the cheap fuel finder", hailing it for "forcing petrol stations to publish their live prices" to help drivers "choose the lowest price". A three-month grace period for enforcement ended on May 1, 2026. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has the power to take enforcement action against non-compliant retailers.
A CMA spokesperson said: "The majority of petrol stations are now registered with the scheme and reporting their prices, helping motorists pocket savings every time they fill up by shopping around. We will take action when petrol stations fail to comply with the law."
A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson added: "The majority of petrol stations are inputting data to Fuel Finder promptly, helping consumers across the country find the cheapest fuel in their area. The Competition and Markets Authority has the power to take action against any forecourt not signed up or reporting prices."
Impact on Drivers
When launched, ministers expected Fuel Finder to save households who own a car an average of £40 a year by increasing competition. However, average petrol prices in the UK remain about 19p per litre more expensive than before the conflict in the Middle East, despite oil prices returning to pre-war levels. The scheme was created following a CMA recommendation in July 2023, after it found drivers paid nearly £1 billion more for fuel at supermarkets in the previous year due to weakened competition.
Simon Williams of the RAC urged: "Fuel Finder was introduced to help stop drivers paying over the odds when they fill up, so these findings are very concerning. It’s vital that all retailers follow the rules by recording price changes within half an hour. Steps must be taken to ensure those not reporting prices begin doing so immediately."
