Fuel station staff in the UK are facing increased abuse from customers amid soaring petrol and diesel prices, according to reports emerging Friday. The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) accused ministers of exacerbating the problem through what it described as “incorrect and inflammatory language” suggesting price gouging by fuel providers.
Goran Raven, a fourth-generation owner of a petrol station in Romford, told the BBC that his staff were experiencing a surge in anger from customers as prices reached an 18-month high. “No one likes to put up their prices for the consumer. It’s the worst thing you can do as a business,” Raven said, explaining that smaller, independent stations like his are particularly vulnerable to market fluctuations.
The price increases follow a surge in oil costs linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. According to the RAC, petrol prices have risen by an average of 7.8p to 140.6p a litre, while diesel has seen an even sharper increase of 16.8p to 159.18p. Independent retailers, unlike larger companies and supermarkets, often pay ‘daily spot prices’ for their fuel, meaning they are immediately exposed to wholesale cost increases. Raven explained that his station’s limited storage capacity – just over a day’s worth of fuel – means he learns the price only when the tanker delivers each morning.
The escalating situation prompted a planned meeting between representatives of the PRA and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, alongside Energy Secretary Ed Miliband. However, the PRA initially threatened to withdraw from the talks, citing concerns that the Treasury had not guaranteed a private setting. The association objected to what it characterized as ministers’ suggestions of “rip-off” pricing and “profiteering.”
Despite the initial dispute, the PRA ultimately agreed to attend the meeting, scheduled for Friday afternoon in Downing Street, after receiving assurances that media access would be limited to the opening minutes. The government stated the meeting’s purpose was to warn against profiteering in the context of the conflict in Iran.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has indicated it is “on high alert” for unfair price rises, and has put fuel retailers “on notice.” The PRA, representing 65% of UK forecourts, maintains that its members are not benefiting from the increased prices.
The PRA’s intervention followed a request from Reeves for the CMA to “crack down” on what she termed “rip-off” fuel prices. The government has faced pressure to scrap a planned increase in fuel duty as the situation unfolds.
