LONDON, March 31, 2026, 19:11 BST
Diesel at UK pumps climbed to an average of 182.77 pence per litre on Tuesday, sending the price for a standard 55-litre fill-up to £100.52—a level not seen since December 2022. Petrol, meanwhile, came in at 152.83 pence. “The diesel tank threshold has breached £100,” said Simon Williams, head of policy at the RAC, adding that petrol prices could “potentially stabilise” if oil prices quit rising. 1
It’s not just about fuel. Worldpanel reported grocery inflation stuck at 4.3% for the four weeks ending March 22, pointing out that every extra point tacks on more than £50 to the average household’s yearly bill. Fraser McKevitt flagged that higher fuel prices are leaving shoppers increasingly uneasy. 2
Oil is taking a toll. Brent crude hovered close to $119 a barrel on Tuesday, moving toward what could be its largest monthly gain ever. The surge follows strikes against Gulf energy infrastructure and interruptions at the Strait of Hormuz—the key route for about 20% of global oil and gas shipments. 3
Pressure has already started to show up at UK petrol stations. Asda—the country’s No. 2 motor fuel retailer behind Tesco—reported that a number of its 800 forecourts were hit by short-lived outages after customers rushed to fill up, even though delivery volumes hadn’t changed. Executive chair Allan Leighton blamed these “spiky” demand surges for leaving some pumps or entire locations dry for a time. Despite this, industry groups insisted supplies were “flowing normally” nationwide, urging drivers not to change their usual routines. 4
Diesel prices are outrunning petrol, thanks largely to Britain’s heavy reliance on imports rather than domestic refining. According to the RAC Foundation, the diesel premium has hit 27.6 pence per litre—marking the broadest gap since at least 2003. By the end of the third quarter of 2025, UK roads counted 4.6 million diesel vans and 10.3 million diesel cars. “White van man is bleeding cash,” said director Steve Gooding. 5
The timing isn’t great for Asda. Just last week, Reuters said 2025 core profit dropped 33%, with Leighton slashing prices to claw back customers—yet Asda remains stuck as Britain’s No. 3 grocer behind Tesco and Sainsbury’s, still pushing to widen its price edge over competitors. 6
The impact isn’t stopping at the pump. Shop price inflation ticked up to 1.2% in March, according to the British Retail Consortium. CEO Helen Dickinson pointed to rising costs in the Middle East filtering through supply chains, warning this will drive inflation up further. 7
But the outcome remains uncertain. In Reuters’ March oil poll, analysts warned Brent might revisit its 2008 record should Hormuz stay blocked, yet record wind output has already trimmed gas-fired generation in Britain. That’s more of a buffer for the grid than for drivers paying up at the pump. 8
