Information for businesses and consumers
Published 31 August 2023
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Information for consumers
Finding and comparing fuel prices in your area
The CMA is working to make sure that fuel retailers provide more up-to-date information about fuel pricing, in a format that is machine readable.
This means other businesses can use the data and add it to pre-existing and new applications and websites. This data can then be passed on to drivers to find and compare fuel prices in a selected area.
It’s up to individual retailers to decide if they want to show fuel price data on their websites.
The government will be consulting on the permanent scheme in autumn 2023. The permanent scheme will be mandatory to make sure real-time fuel prices are available for consumers.
Making sure prices are accurate and up to date
The scheme will provide the most recent pricing data available. However, there may sometimes be a delay between when forecourt fuel prices are set, and when prices are displayed by a third-party comparator.
The CMA has recommended that a mandatory scheme is put in place as soon as possible.
Information for businesses
Requirements for joining the scheme
To join the road fuel voluntary interim scheme, your daily fuel price updates should be:
- Available in a consistent, machine-readable JSON format
- Available for free
- Available without any restrictions
More detailed information is available in the technical specification (see Appendix).
Accuracy monitoring
It’s important that fuel price updates are accurate.
Retailers and information providers are responsible for making sure the fuel prices they display are correct.
The CMA will not monitor third party app and information providers.
The interim scheme
The interim scheme is open to all fuel retailers.
It’s up to individual retailers to decide where they host their fuel price data.
How to upload your fuel price data
Retailers should compile and upload their fuel price data before midday each day. Fuel price data can be uploaded more than once a day to reflect the most recent prices. The prices should always be current prices, rather than future prices.
When uploading fuel price data, the “brand” field should list the brand name of the fuel that is supplied to, and sold from, the service station, not the owner of the service station.
What to do if a store is closed permanently, or temporarily
Where forecourts or stores are closed, either permanently or temporarily (for example, for a refurbishment), you should not include that store in the price data. The current schema does not have a specific field for this.
Additional support
If you work for or represent a fuel retailer and need additional support, or have further questions about how to join the scheme, contact the team at roadfuel.remedies@cma.gov.uk
Anybody can tell the CMA about a consumer or market issue either online, by phone or by email.