Some UK forecourts are changing pump prices up to eight times a day
By Anthony Sharkey, Chief Operating Officer, New Reg Limited · 11 Jul 2026
Official government fuel price data shows a handful of UK forecourts are moving their unleaded prices repeatedly within a single day, catching drivers out.
A small number of UK forecourts are resetting their unleaded prices multiple times a day, meaning the price you see when you drive past in the morning may be noticeably different from what you pay when you fill up that afternoon.
Official UK government fuel price data covering the 72 hours to the evening of 11 July shows four BP stations in the Hull and East Yorkshire area each recorded between seven and eight separate price changes on their unleaded pumps. One station in Cottingham changed its price eight times across that period, with the pump swinging between 154.9p and 159.9p a litre. Three further BP sites across the Hull area each moved their prices seven times, with ranges as wide as 156.9p to 164.9p a litre at one location. That is an eight-pence-a-litre difference depending on when you pulled in, which on a 55-litre fill adds up to around four pounds either way.
For most drivers this is not how fuel pricing usually works. The great majority of UK forecourts set a single price for the day and leave it there. Stations that reprice repeatedly throughout the day are the exception, but they do exist, and if you happen to fill up at one during a high point in its pricing cycle you will pay more than a neighbour who called in two hours earlier or later. There is no obligation on a forecourt to warn you that its price changed an hour ago or might change again before you leave.
The practical answer is to check the live price at your preferred station before you set off rather than assuming it matches what you saw on your last visit. Official government fuel price data is updated regularly and covers thousands of sites, so you can see what a station is actually charging right now. If you are also thinking about whether your car is costing you more than it should overall, looking at what comparable vehicles sell for and what running costs look like before you commit to your next purchase is worth doing. Car.co.uk offers a free valuation and a car tax calculator, which is a practical place to start before you commit.
Price pattern watch: forecourts that repeatedly move their price at set times
Updated automatically from official UK government fuel price data (as at 7 August 2026). Each forecourt below moved a fuel price in both directions (up then down, or down then up) at a consistent time of day, and repeated that on at least three separate days in the last week. A one-off price change is not listed. Patterns aligned with peak traffic are shown first.
- Shell (DN14 8JS) in Goole (super diesel, diesel, unleaded and premium unleaded): On 7 of the last 7 days this station raised its price by about 2.0p around 10pm, then dropped it again within hours. A pattern repeating at the same time each day suggests the price is raised to earn more from drivers during that part of the day.
- Parkfoot Garage Limited (ME19 5AE) in West Malling (premium unleaded and super diesel): On 5 of the last 7 days this station cut its price by about 13.0p around 8pm, then put it back up within hours. A dip repeating at the same time each day suggests the lower price is offered only briefly.
- Valero (CV10 0AD) in Nuneaton (diesel and unleaded): On 3 of the last 7 days this station raised its price by about 2.0p around 10pm, then dropped it again within hours. A pattern repeating at the same time each day suggests the price is raised to earn more from drivers during that part of the day.
All figures are taken directly from official UK government fuel price data (Open Government Licence v3.0), covering the last 7 days. This list is refreshed daily. The stated timing is what the data shows; any suggestion of intent is our own interpretation of that repeated pattern.
Sources
This story cites UK Fuel Price Data.