The UK is currently facing a fuel crisis with 90% of petrol stations “running dry”.
It has been reported some petrol stations have set a £30 fuel limit to stop panic-buying.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps urged drivers to not buy fuel if they don’t need it, claiming there is “enough” oil in the UK.
Now in light of the ongoing situation, the experts at AA said retailers had increased prices to “recover some of the lost income”.
They said petrol and diesel price increases were to “deter” drivers from topping up their fuel tanks when not needed.
The AA said: “There are reports of higher prices in places but this follows entirely the usual pattern whenever there is panic-buying.”
(Image: PA)
They added: “Retailers individually increase the price to try to deter those topping up their tanks unnecessarily.
“And to try to recover some of the lost income from drivers buying fuel only and not shopping within the store.
“We don’t like it but can see why the trade might do it. The question then is if and how quickly those higher margins fall away.
“At some point, many of the retailers decide to cap the amount people can buy in one go.”
(Image: PA)
According to figures from the AA, the national petrol price increased by over 1p per litre in a matter of days.
Petrol cost 135.51p on average last Tuesday before slowly climbing to 135.83p on Friday.
By Sunday, petrol prices were up to 136.69p per litre as costs soared across the country.
But before last week, prices had not been higher than 135.5p per litre since September 2013.
Diesel was up from just 137.33p at the start of last week compared to 137.99p by Friday.
Costs then jumped by over half a penny to 138.58p by the end of the weekend as demand rose.
But despite the rise, the AA warned wholesale oil prices have actually dropped compared to last week by half a penny.
Road users have since taken to social media to share their rage over the rising prices during the crisis.
(Image: PA)
Want all the biggest Lifestyle news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free Daily Star Hot Topics newsletter
One wrote on Twitter: “Pushing prices up even further too.
“Went past one of those ‘budget’ stations yesterday and it was dearer than my usual ultimate premium petrol.
“Going to price people off the road, even if there is enough left.”
