Retailers slash petrol prices

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Drivers struggling to meet the high costs of motoring with escalating car insurance premiums and garage bills will enjoy some relief as petrol prices drop in response to lower oil costs.

Retailers including BP, Shell, Esso, Morrisons and Asda are slashing prices at the pumps in forecourts across the UK.

The price war was sparked by supermarket chain Morrisons, which cut the price of fuel by 3p a litre across its 285 stations, giving a national average of 107.7p for unleaded and 119.2p for diesel.

Other retailers soon followed, either by making cuts immediately or pledging to do so in the near future. A spokesman for Esso said fuel sales were a "highly competitive business and we vigorously compete with competition".

Meanwhile, Darren Blackhurst, trading director at Asda, said: "We are calling on other retailers to follow our lead and give drivers a fair deal at the pumps, not just those that live near an Asda."

Shell continued the trend by announcing its own price cuts. "On Shell company-owned forecourts we will certainly be passing on price cuts to our customers. We always aim to remain competitive," a spokesman said.

Average prices across the UK are now 112.87p a litre for petrol, and 124.21p for diesel.

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