The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Asda’s second cut to fuel prices in three weeks
AA critical of other supermarket giants’ tactics amid ‘pump price skirmishes’
Asda has announced its second price cut in three weeks.
The supermarket giant has reduced the cost of a litre of fuel by up to 2p for petrol and 1p for diesel.
Drivers filling up at any of the supermarket’s forecourts will pay no more than 117.7p per litre for petrol and 122.7p for diesel.
Asda senior fuel buyer Dave Tyrer said: “We know how important saving money is for our customers at this time of year, so we will always aim to keep the cost of essentials down, whether that’s on fuel, food or fashion.
“Over the last three weeks fuel we’ve brought fuel prices down by up to 4p per litre without any voucher requirements, meaning all our customers, regardless of their budget, will benefit from a price cut at the pumps.”
Asda’s announcement comes after the AA accused other supermarket fuel retailers of discriminating against poorer motorists by only passing on cuts in wholesale prices to people who spend at least £40 on groceries.
An AA spokesman said: “Asda’s price cuts mean that lower-spending drivers – such as the young, lower-income workers, people who live on their own and many of the elderly – are no longer frozen out from the benefit of reduced wholesale costs.
“Ashasbecomeanestablishedpattern this year, other supermarkets have waited for Asda to make the first move in a series of pump price skirmishes – meanwhile tying fuel savings to £40 or £60 spends in-store.
“That works for some shoppers but many others resent being left out in the cold when it comes to cheaper fuel.”
Supermarket fuel vouchers from Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons generally offer either 5p off per litre with a £40 in-store spend or 10p off with a £60 spend.
An AA survey of nearly 18,000 drivers indicated that more than one in five (22%) of those in the lowest socioeconomic group are “very unlikely” to spend £40 in a single supermarket trip, making them ineligible for the fuel discounts.