Drivers in the UK can now see live petrol prices on Google Maps from Thursday for the first time, using data from the government’s Fuel Finder platform. The move gives motorists a quicker way to compare nearby forecourts while they are already planning a route.
Fuel Finder data in Google Maps
Google will draw on Fuel Finder, which displays real-time prices at 99% of forecourts. That means the map should surface the cheapest petrol and diesel in a local area without forcing drivers to check separate apps first.
The scheme itself was launched in February after a recommendation from the Competition and Markets Authority in 2023. It was already available through Waze, PetrolPrices, the AA, Confused.com and RAC Fuel Watch before Google Maps added it.
AA says pricing pressure may rise
Edmund King said: “Getting transparent fuel prices on to Google Maps is a massive step forward and means most drivers will have easy access to pump prices. Hopefully, this high-level pump-price transparency will also encourage more competitive prices from retailers.”
He added: “More transparent prices should reduce the extent of rampant price-matching between fuel stations that is currently seen in many areas. Those competitive forecourts that break rank and offer lower fuel prices can be found if drivers look hard enough and will now stand out more.”
Luke Bosdet said the launch could “signal trouble for the fuel trade by revealing the forecourt pricing tactics which keep local prices artificially high in their full horror”.
Billington backs cheaper fuel access
Polly Billington said: “Accessing the cheapest fuel should be simple, which is why it is a gamechanger for near real-time fuel prices to be shown on Google Maps for the first time in the UK, helping drivers find the best deal and save money at the pump.”
The timing is sharp because UK diesel recently hit a record £2 a litre, and the price had risen by more than 40% since late February. The Competition and Markets Authority also warned fuel retailers in August that many were still slow to pass on falls in wholesale diesel prices.
What Google has not spelled out is how quickly the Fuel Finder data will update inside Google Maps, and that will decide how useful the feature feels when a driver is choosing between stations on the move.
