The Bumpy Ride of Fuel Prices: What Actually Happened to Your Pump Bills
Between June 18th and August 12th, 2025 (give or take an 8‑week stretch), the fuel market took one wild turn after another. Here’s the low‑down on how money flowed—from the big oil barrels right up to the bubble stuck in your car’s gas tank.
Big Picture: Brent Oil Falls Hard
- Brent Oil shot down 13.54% in pounds—but that’s just the headline.
- Wholesale petrol dipped 1.19%. So, the bulk price fell a touch.
- Yet, when you drive to the corner shop, pump petrol is ~2% higher. A confusing mix‑up, right?
Diesel: The “Distraction” of Profits
- Wholesale diesel slid 3.7%, offering a cheap price to big dealers.
- But bumping into a pump? You’ll still see 3.10% surcharge.
The Fine Print on Your Wallet
- Retail petrol profit per litre spiked over 11% — that’s an extra £2.09 on an average family car fill‑up.
- For diesel, the profit per litre jumped more than 26%, translating to an extra £4.55 per average family car fill‑up.
- In plain English: £4.5 million of wholesale savings were basically left on the table every single day—plus a staggering £250 million worth of those savings stuck in drivers’ pockets since June 18th.
Politics & Pumpwatch: Who’s Really Watching?
Claire Coutinho MP (ex‑Energy Securities Minister, current Shadow Equalities) fought the battle: “Pumpwatch is here to stop motorists from being overcharged. But the politics of the day look like a blind spot—a classic case of why big words don’t always mean big change.”
Howard Cox, founder of FairFuelUK, isn’t shy either: “Big players are still prowling the pumps in greedy fashion. Inflated diesel prices kill growth, torch inflation, and make businesses feel the heat.”
A sad twist: The Conservative Council set up FairFuelUK’s PumpWatch last January, only for it to be tossed out by Labour’s “Net Zero” ambition. The end result? Drivers face a full on hog‑money situation—with no guarantee that the cheap wholesale prices stop backing the excise tax cheat.
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