Supermarket fuel - does it really give lower mpg ?

property.advert

As I'm reading around on potential new cars, I'm coming across vast variations between not only the claimed mpg but also between people with the exact same car. Digging further into this, I read accounts of people who seem to be keeping very accurate records over long periods of time and one fact keeps coming up, that supermarket fuel is giving a good few mpg less than brand names such as Shell, Esso etc.

With the oft touted "5p per litre off if you spend £50" offer at many of the supermarkets, are they covering these costs by supplying sub standard fuel ?

Any experience, thoughts or evidence ?

Mark_Hewitt

Fuel that is supplied in the UK has to meet very strict quality standards, so no, the fuel sold at supermarkets is definitely not 'substandard'.

However some of the branded garages fuel may include certain additives and cleaning products which can clean up your engine and help it run more efficiently.

Hintza

I will use suprmarket fuel only if I have to.

But around us we have a Shell station that price matches or at most is 1p dearer so on that basis I would use the Shell station.

I would still like to see some choice in where I buy my fuel in 20 years time so if possible support your local petrol station.

You can always check locxal prices on here:-

http://www.petrolprices.com/

aliasojo

As Mark says, it's the additives which make the difference. The fuel itself is actually all the same stuff loaded onto the tanker from the same pumps at the depot. The only difference is the additive which is also pumped in at that time.

property.advert

Is it really the same stuff or is that just an assumption ? I could presume it was but I know first hand that there are factories producing goods for various customers who do use different grade products. It does seem quite possible that even if there is a controlled minimum standard, it would be totally possible for customer A to ask for a different quality to customer B. As long as any minimum standard was met or exceeded, then there would be no redress.

I have heard about premium products, as used to be advertised by the petrol companies on TV but I don't know about their bog standard product. I do know however, that supermarket cornflakes taste a very poor second to my preferred Kelloggs and as sure as eggs is eggs, there are different grades of oil, even as it comes out of the ground. My feeling is that whether offering different performance or not, the supermarkets are buying the very cheapest they can find. I have yet to see a TV advert extolling the virtues of supermarket petrol. Price yes, but quality, certainly not.

Hammyman

property.advert wrote: »

Is it really the same stuff or is that just an assumption ?

It is the same stuff. If you live in the North West, no matter whether there is Esso, Shell, BP, Jet, Tesco, Texaco, Asda or anything else on the tanker, the fuel comes from the Shell refinery near Ellesmere Port.

If you live in Humberside,no matter whether there is Esso, Shell, BP, Jet, Tesco, Texaco, Asda etc on the tanker, the fuel comes from the Conoco refinery at Immingham.

You can sit outside a refinery and watch all the different branded tankers rolling in and out.

What differs is the additives.

Strider590

property.advert wrote: »

As I'm reading around on potential new cars, I'm coming across vast variations between not only the claimed mpg but also between people with the exact same car. Digging further into this, I read accounts of people who seem to be keeping very accurate records over long periods of time and one fact keeps coming up, that supermarket fuel is giving a good few mpg less than brand names such as Shell, Esso etc.

With the oft touted "5p per litre off if you spend £50" offer at many of the supermarkets, are they covering these costs by supplying sub standard fuel ?

Any experience, thoughts or evidence ?

See this thread for my info on fuel additives

king100

Its the same stuff, supermarkets will have contracts with the main suppliers to deliver the product it doesnt differ.

The only difference would be in the batches that they make but that wouldent effect your car.

Buy from the cheapest, as shell probably have the contract to supply the supermarkets so it will be a shell product anyway.

king100

property.advert wrote: »

With the oft touted "5p per litre off if you spend £50" offer at many of the supermarkets, are they covering these costs by supplying sub standard fuel ?

Any experience, thoughts or evidence ?

You will fill up maybe 40 litres so thats a £2.00 saving, how much profit do they make from you spending £50.00 plus if they say have the price at 121.99ppl they are still making profit as their prices are on contract based on the platts price.

intranix

I consistently get better mpg from shell fuel than asda, i've tested this out many times (yes i know how to measure it;)), i have experienced as much as 5mpg difference, i only do town driving, shell always gives better mpg, and its often the same price or 1p more a litre. Plus my local shell station has free air

thescouselander

I dont think there is any difference. I have a sainsbury's petrol station at one end of the road and an Esso at the other. I fill the car at whatever petrol station I'm passing when the car needs refilling so I use supermarket fuel about half of the time. I do monitor fuel use every tank as increased usage could be a sign that something is wrong with the car but I've never noticed any difference between the Sainsburys and Esso petrol - it all seems the same as far as I can tell.