Fuel prices: It's not time to panic yet - even if Sheffield's cheapest petrol stations ran out today

Don’t panic, but – Sheffield’s three cheapest petrol stations did all run out of either unleaded, diesel, super unleaded, or a combination of each today.

It’s an easy situation to trace. The average UK price of unleaded jumped 6p in just seven days, and for diesel it was closer to 10p. Price comparison websites listed this week that the cheapest fuel in Sheffield was at Sainsbury’s on Archer Road, Morrisons in Meadowhead, and Tesco on Abbeydale Road. So, they ran low.

It’s certainly not city-wide or a run on fuel like was seen in September when a reported hiccup in BP’s supply chain led to panic-buying. This is motorists shopping around for a deal amid scary nationals news.

The latest average UK prices (March 9) report unleaded is up to 159.57p. Diesel is at 167.37p, and super unleaded tops them all at 170.73p.

Figures show the average cost of a litre of the fuel at UK forecourts reached 165.2p on Tuesday, up nearly 3p from Monday's 162.3p.The RAC says the jump is the largest on records dating back to the year 2000.

Those bright green prices outside forecourts have been difficult to ignore though, and every social media picture that flags up gut-punching prices ‘In Your Area’ only causes more stomachs to knot.

I’ll do it right now – at 1.30pm today (March 10), the BP garage on Bramall Lane was charging 179p per litre of diesel. The Texaco in Thorpe Hesley is charging 194.9p.

And so back to those three cheap-ish petrol stations. Early on Thursday morning, Sainsbury’s on Archer Road placed signs at its entrance: “Super Unleaded Only”.

Soon after The Star heard this, I was sent to check on the other two. I arrived at Morrisons in Meadowhead at 12pm to see at a lengthy queue tailing into the main entrance, just as staff were attaching ‘out of order’ tags to seven out of their dozen or so unleaded pumps. A member of staff said they were “running low”, but not out completely, and kindly asked me to stop taking photos on the forecourt.

By comparison, Tesco on Abbeydale Road was bustling but only out of super unleaded. I don’t know who can afford it.

In the car park of Morrisons, I spoke to a young dad who had just had to fill up his petrol car after refuelling the family diesel the previous day. No, he hadn’t had trouble finding any. But there was no denying the price worried him.

"I read the news and it feels a bit like the beginning of the pandemic,” he said. “It’s like I’ve filled the tank now before the prices go up even more. I’d rather not think of it like that but here we are.”

In real terms, the RAC says filling a 55-litre family car with petrol now costs £87 – £7 more than it was in January. Diesel drivers are even worse off, with a tank now costing upwards of £90 – up £8 since the start of the year.

The pumps will be full again tomorrow. Affording it is another question.