Drivers can now see what every forecourt around them is charging before they set off, with near real-time petrol and diesel prices appearing on Google Maps in the UK from today.
Search “petrol” in the app and each station’s unleaded price appears on its pin. Tap through and the station page breaks it down by fuel, including super unleaded and premium diesel.
The prices come from Fuel Finder, the UK Government scheme under which every petrol station has had to report a price change within 30 minutes since February, or risk a fine.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero says around 99% of all fuel sold on UK roads is now covered, and that a household with a car could save about £40 a year by shopping around.
How it works
Fuel Finder was set up on the recommendation of the Competition and Markets Authority, which can act against stations where there is evidence they are not reporting.
The data already sits behind the price displays in Waze, the PetrolPrices app, the AA, Confused.com and RAC Fuel Watch. Google Maps puts it in front of the millions who never open a dedicated fuel app.
Polly Billington, the Minister for Energy Consumers, said: “Tackling the affordability crisis is our first responsibility and for so many families and businesses, petrol and diesel are essential goods, not luxuries.”
“Accessing the cheapest fuel should be simple, which is why it is a game-changer for near real-time fuel prices to be shown on Google Maps for the first time in the UK, helping drivers find the best deal and save money at the pump.”
Sarah-Jayne Williams, Google’s director of global product partnerships for Geo, said: “Integrating Fuel Finder data into Google Maps and Waze gives drivers visibility on nearby pump prices, helping drivers make intentional choices to help their budgets go further this winter.”
Why it matters this autumn
Pump prices have been high since the Iran war began in February. In May petrol hit 158.52p a litre, its highest since the conflict started, and Keir Starmer, then Prime Minister, froze fuel duty until the end of the year.
On Wednesday afternoon several Swansea forecourts were charging 173p a litre for unleaded and 199p for diesel. The petrol price is around 15p above the 158.52p that counted as a high in May.
That 5p duty cut, first made in 2022, runs until at least 31 December. What happens to it after that has not been announced.
The government says the Maps launch is the latest of its cost of living measures, pointing to the VAT cut on electricity bills and the £2 cap on bus fares.
Because the data is near real-time, a station that cuts its price after lunch should show the new figure within the half hour. One that does not report risks a CMA fine.
The government describes the Middle East conflict as the reason prices have been pushed up; by May the RAC Foundation had put drivers’ “war premium” at £3bn.
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