RAC says fuel prices are expected to be 10p lower than current prices, despite an average drop of 7p at UK petrol stations in September.
However, the British Retail Consortium, which represents big supermarkets such as Asda and Tesco, said the cuts would be passed "as they pass through the supply chain", despite claims that retailers are earning more than they normally follow. Prices hit record highs in the summer, driven by rising demand and declining supply.
Average prices are currently 162.89p per liter for gasoline and 180.16p for diesel. That means filling up a 55-litre family car like a BMW 3 Series or Volkswagen Golf costs £89.59 - nearly £16 less than July's peak of £105.34 (191.53p/litre) - a weak pound. The same fuel tank costs £99.09 - £10.41 less than it did in July.
Those prices are expected to be lower, around 152p per liter of gasoline, said RAC spokesman Simon Williams, while oil is trading from around $130 (£113.78 at the current exchange rate) in mid-June to $87.96 ( £76.99) in September.
"Drivers should have seen a much bigger drop because the wholesale price of gasoline delivered was 120p for the whole month," Williams said. This means that shipyards across the country are expected to be priced at around 152p, given the long-term unleaded margin of 7p per liter.
"The average price of petrol in the big four supermarkets is just 1.5p less than the UK average, and it's usually less than half the price, which means they don't do motorists justice."
In response, Andrew Obi, Director of Food and Sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, said: “Retailers understand the cost pressures that motorists face and will do whatever it takes to continue to provide the best value for money in the industry. Thanks to their own backyard the lower costs are feeding on supply chain.
However, the average September drop of 6.69 pence for gasoline was the sixth largest in a single month since 2000.
In the UK, front yards in North East England recorded the largest decrease (8.24p), followed by London (7.91p) and the West Midlands (7.03p). The lowest drop was recorded in the East Midlands (5.93 pence), making the region with the highest total prices at 164.14 pence per liter. The UK's lowest price is currently offered in Northern Ireland at 159.28p per liter.
