Petrol prices hit record high of 144.9p per litre as cost of living soars

PETROL and diesel prices have hit record highs as the cost of living soars.

A litre of petrol is now 144.9p, while diesel is selling for 148.84p.

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Petrol’s previous record was set only last week at 143.7p.

The prices, revealed by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, mean that the average driver now has to spend an extra 34p to fill up their motor.

For diesel car owners, that figure is an extra 73p.

The rising cost of living is due to growing inflation, with supermarkets feeling the squeeze.

Twinings, Primark, and Unilever have said higher energy prices have added to cost increases.

And energy bills have been rising after a recent increase in the industry price cap.
Inflation is being driven by labour shortages, rising energy costs and gaps in global supply chains as the pandemic subsides.

The RAC has blamed the supermarkets for the rising cost of fuel.

The big four UK supermarkets increased the price of petrol on their forecourts by more than 9p a litre and diesel by more than 10p in October.

The RAC’s Simon Williams said: “October 2021 set records for all the wrong reasons and was a horrible month for drivers.”