Motoring and industry groups say it remains unclear whether Fuel Finder, the UK government scheme that lets drivers compare fuel prices at nearby petrol stations, is influencing where motorists choose to fill up.

The service, which is available through apps and websites including Waze, Petrol Prices and the AA, was launched four months ago. It now covers around 95% of UK forecourts, according to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) claims motorists could save up to £9 a tank by switching from the most expensive to the cheapest retailer within a 10-minute drive. 

Geoff Steadman, a senior director at the CMA, said: "We know higher prices at the pump in recent months are putting real pressure on drivers’ pockets, so using Fuel Finder-backed services will enable them to find the cheapest petrol station nearby and save money.

“But we’re concerned that weak competition in the sector is leaving drivers paying more. By making prices more transparent, Fuel Finder should push petrol stations to compete harder and drive down prices in the long run.”

However, the RAC and the Petrol Retailers Association say it's too early to judge whether or not the scheme is working.

Simon Williams, the RAC’s head of policy, told Autocar that “the jury is still out” and “the price of diesel should really have fallen faster” – but said he was “hopeful that it could make a difference”. 

Gordon Balmer, the executive director of the Petrol Retailers Association, said he doesn’t believe that Fuel Finder has “had a material effect on buyer behaviour”.

“Prior to its launch, consumers already knew that supermarkets price their fuel keenly and that you will pay a little more on the motorways,” he said. 

“At the start of the crisis in the Middle East, supermarkets experienced a spike in fuel sales as consumers filled up to try and beat price increases, however I don't think that was due to improved price visibility.”

Balmer said that it was up to the government “to assess its success” but confirmed that he hadn't seen any data including usage of fuel pricing apps.

Is Fuel Finder actually helping?

The AA takes a different view, however. Luke Bosdet, its head of policy, observed that many motorway service areas cut their prices when petrol wholesale prices were rising. 

He said: “Petrol at 185 pence a litre earlier on in the [Iran] war is now 176 pence at notoriously expensive locations like Chieveley [Berkshire] on the M4.”

He attributed this to Fuel Finder: “We have been surprised at the speed of the reductions and concluded that this is the influence of Fuel Finder: retailers seeing how much rivals are cutting their prices and, knowing that drivers can see the same information, having to respond.”

DESNZ didn't answer questions about how many motorists use Fuel Finder-backed services or whether the scheme is influencing where drivers buy fuel.

A spokesperson said Fuel Finder was "playing a crucial part in our work to tackle the cost of living head on", though, adding that the department estimated it could save households that own a car around £40 a year.

The CMA said it expected to publish a more detailed assessment of Fuel Finder's impact later this year as it continues to examine competition in the fuel market.

Autocar also contacted VE3, which built the platform, for this information, but it hadn’t responded at the time of writing.