Petrol price wars?

Wednesday 05 December 2018

Unleaded petrol has dropped below £1.30 a litre at one garage in Guernsey with another soon to follow, offering the lowest prices in the island for almost three months.

Le Mont Saint announced yesterday that it was selling unleaded at 129.9p a litre a cut of 4pence per litre compared to its previous rate.

Joint Managing Director, Peter Beausire said that price is staying until at least Saturday 22 December.

"We filled our pumps today," he said at the time, "and we know the fuel price has dropped.

"It's Christmas and we're nice, so we're keeping it at that price until our last working day which will be Saturday 22 December.

"We'll keep it until at least then, and assess it after that. If there's a price drop then we'll follow suit."

The last time Le Mont Saint sold petrol below £1.30 a litre was before the 2019 Budget was announced in October, Mr Beausire said. He also confirmed their prices haven't ever gone above £1.40 for a litre of unleaded.

Pictured: Whiteway Motors. 

The owner of Whiteway Motors, Andre Whiteway said his petrol prices are also dropping from today - with unleaded now for sale there at 129.5p per litre and diesel dropping down to 134.5p per litre.

"That is for sure the cheapest diesel around at the moment," he said.

"We are an independent garage with no contracts with a fuel supplier, so we can shop around. I say shop around, but we get all of our petrol from one supplier and our diesel from another. I set the prices like they are because I can. I buy at the right price so I put it at the right price."

With his petrol prices frequently the lowest in island, Mr Whiteway said his forecourt is often busy.

"The garage has never done so much fuel, we have been running out very occasionally because we are getting so many customers."

Pictured: The majority of petrol prices are above £1.30 a litre still with Whiteway Motors and Trevs often among the cheaper ones. Above image from Monday 3 December. 

Prices elsewhere went over £1.40 a litre for unleaded petrol earlier this year, with some diesel prices now over £1.50 a litre.

Petrol prices are known to be high in Guernsey compared to other jurisdictions but some garages in the UK are now selling petrol at similar prices to here, inclusive of VAT.

In Guernsey, duty makes up 70p per litre. 

The Guernsey Fuel and Oil watch page on Facebook keeps a running tally of local fuel prices. 

Pictured: The last time petrol dropped below £1.30 a litre.