UK households are being warned that diesel prices are moving rapidly towards the £2-a-litre milestone, with hundreds of forecourts already charging more than the threshold. PetrolPrices data shows 236 petrol stations across the UK are already selling diesel above £2 per litre, while a further 633 forecourts are charging 199.9p per litre.
Together, the stations represent around 10% of the UK forecourt network, putting further pressure on motorists already facing sharply higher fuel costs. The average UK diesel price has reached 193.5p per litre, according to PetrolPrices, while the average supermarket price stands at 190p.
Wholesale costs drive surge
Prices are continuing to rise quickly, with almost 35,000 diesel price increases recorded across the UK during September so far. The surge is being driven primarily by higher wholesale costs. Wholesale diesel prices have increased by more than 12p per litre this month, with supply constraints and renewed tensions in the Middle East pushing up the cost of middle distillates.
Supply concerns have been heightened by the suspension of Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline, a 1,200-kilometre route that provides an alternative for Saudi oil exports by bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. According to PetrolPrices, analysts expect the pipeline disruption to continue for several weeks and have warned that it could be vulnerable to further attacks.
Retail margins under pressure
The pressure is also being felt by forecourts, with diesel retail margins remaining below their six-month average. That leaves retailers with less room to absorb increases in wholesale costs, meaning higher prices are being passed on to drivers more quickly.
PetrolPrices says almost 10% of UK forecourts are now either selling diesel above £2 per litre or are just one price increase away from reaching the milestone. The figures show how quickly the price of diesel has moved towards the £2 mark, with the national average now only 6.5p below it. Supermarket diesel is also edging closer to the milestone, with the average currently standing at 190p per litre.
Impact on motorists and businesses
The latest surge comes after fuel prices have already risen sharply in recent months, increasing costs for families, commuters, van drivers and businesses that depend on diesel vehicles. The impact could also spread beyond motorists as higher transport costs put pressure on businesses moving goods around the country.
PetrolPrices warned that unless wholesale prices ease and supply concerns improve, more forecourts could move to 199.9p per litre or higher in the coming days. That would push the UK average closer to £2 per litre and leave motorists facing the prospect of another major increase in the cost of filling up.
