Supermarket fuel vs branded: is there a difference?

It's one of the most common questions among UK drivers: is supermarket fuel worse than the branded stuff from Shell, BP, or Esso? The short answer is no — but there are some nuances worth understanding.

All UK fuel meets the same standard

Every drop of petrol and diesel sold in the UK must meet British Standard BS EN 228 (for petrol) or BS EN 590 (for diesel). This applies whether you're filling up at Tesco or Shell. The base fuel is often sourced from the same refineries and terminals.

What about premium additives?

Branded stations like Shell, BP, and Esso add proprietary additive packages to their fuel, which they claim help clean your engine, improve performance, or increase fuel economy. Supermarkets also add additives, but typically a more basic package. Whether the premium additives justify the price difference is debatable — for most everyday driving, the difference is negligible.

The price difference is real

PumpSaver's data consistently shows that supermarket fuel is around 3-4p per litre cheaper than branded alternatives. Over a year of weekly fill-ups on a 50-litre tank, that adds up to roughly £80-£100 in savings.

The bottom line

For the vast majority of drivers, supermarket fuel is perfectly fine and offers genuine savings. If you drive a high-performance vehicle, you might prefer premium branded fuel for the additional additives — but for your standard commuter car, the cheaper option won't cause any issues. You can compare supermarket vs branded prices on the PumpSaver dashboard.