Warning to shoppers as businesses say they WILL pass on soaring van costs

SHOPPERS could see empty shelves as businesses say they will cut down on delivery vans amid the cost of living crisis.

A survey has found that higher fuel prices are putting the squeeze on businesses, meaning they have to scrap some deliveries to cut costs.

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The price of diesel has climbed by a stunning 41 per cent in the last year, despite cuts to fuel duty.

This means delivery van drivers are spending an average of £870 a year more on diesel than in 2021.

Almost 40 per cent of businesses are having to absorb these extra costs themselves, leaving them no option but to reduce the number of drivers they employ and deliveries they run.

Consumers are likely to bear the costs too, with almost a third of businesses saying they expect prices of goods to increase even further this year.

Brits are already trying to cope with steep price rises as inflation hit the highest it has been in decades earlier this year.

GoCompare’s Ryan Fulthorpe confirmed fears of further price increases saying: “Increased spending on diesel is already having a huge impact on commercial drivers and many of these costs are likely to be passed on to the wider economy”.

The van insurance expert also added: “As we hope for a relief to come from these increases, we encourage everyone to find cost-cutting measures where they can”.

This comes after Eon CEO Michael Lewis said the Brits could be suffering the cost of living crisis for another year.

The price of a full tank for the average delivery van was £101.02 last year but the cost of living crisis and war in Ukraine have caused prices to spike, with the same average tank now costing £142.71.

The average annual cost of fuel per van is now a whopping £2992.54.

Some petrol stations have hit back at criticism over high prices, saying it’s ‘not their fault’.

Money saving expert Martin Lewis recently urged drivers to shop around in their area to find the cheapest fuel possible, but it won’t be easy when even the least costly petrol stations are charging over 170p per litre.

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