Almost half (44%) of motorists have changed their driving habits as a result of rising fuel prices, according to research by Carwow.
The car supermarket found that more than two thirds (69%) of drivers now shop around for the cheapest fuel, even if it means driving away from their nearest petrol station.
The average price of a litre of petrol in the UK is currently 154.2p/litre – up from 147.9p in just a month, according to Carwow’s online fuel checker.
Carwow found that more than two thirds of motorists would potentially drive out of their way to find cheaper fuel; one in four (24%) do this at least some of the time, while almost half (45%) do it every time they fill up.
While the cost of unleaded remains much lower than the 188.8p/litre peak seen in mid-July 2022, Carwow’s study suggests that drivers are concerned about a repeat of last year, when the cost of unleaded rose considerably. More than half (52%) of those polled say they are worried about more price hikes before Christmas.
Sally Foote, Carwow UK managing director, said: “Petrol prices have been slowly creeping up again this year, but over the last few weeks we have seen some of the sharpest rises in some time, with the cost of unleaded increasing by over 6p a litre in just a month.
“That means that last month it cost £88.74 to fill a 60-litre tank, now it costs £92.52. £3.78 more may not sound like a huge amount, but it all adds up, and is no doubt why we are seeing people change their driving habits and shop around for the best prices as they look to try and mitigate the impact of rising petrol prices on their household budgets.
“If you add on to this the new charges associated with clean air zones like the expanded ULEZ area, as well as increased car tax since April 2023 and car insurance premiums rising – motorists up and down the UK are feeling the pinch when it comes to keeping their cars on the road.”
