Fuel Pricing and Availability

We're seeing much higher demand for fuel than normal, linked to concerns about the situation in the Middle East. When demand rises suddenly, some petrol stations can sell through their fuel more quickly than usual, which can lead to queues or short‑term disruptions while we wait for the next delivery. This can mean some sites temporarily run low or need to close briefly until further supplies arrive.

Occasionally, a petrol station may need to close temporarily while it waits for its next scheduled delivery, particularly if demand has been higher than usual. When this happens, sites reopen as soon as fuel is safely available again.

Fuel prices can change quickly because they're influenced by global energy markets, which have been volatile recently. As costs move up or down for fuel suppliers, prices at the pump can follow. We keep prices under constant review and offer our customers as competitive prices as we can.

• Fuel prices can vary from place to place because the fuel market is extremely competitive and prices can change quickly, especially at times like these.
• We aim to make sure each Sainsbury's petrol station is competitive in its local area, so prices are set using locally gathered pricing information. That's why you may sometimes see different prices at nearby stations, even if they're owned by the same company.
• You can find your nearest Sainsbury's petrol station and its current details using our Store Locator.

Prices reflect a number of factors, including wholesale fuel costs and global market conditions. While demand can affect availability at individual sites, pricing is driven primarily by wider market movements rather than short‑term queues or footfall at a single petrol station.

Yes. Delivering good food for everyone is our priority, especially at times like this. We have plans in place to make sure fuel is set aside for our grocery delivery vans, so we can continue delivering food to customers' homes wherever possible.

Online grocery deliveries are continuing as normal. If there were ever a local issue that affected a delivery, we would let affected customers know as early as possible and apologise for any inconvenience.

Because demand can rise and fall quickly, fuel levels at individual sites can change rapidly. A petrol station that is busy one day may be operating normally the next once fuel deliveries have been completed and demand settles back down.

We're sharing the clearest information we can through store signage and our Help Centre. Because fuel availability can change quickly during busy periods, real‑time, minute‑by‑minute updates aren't always possible, but our teams are working hard to keep customers informed.

We're asking customers to buy fuel as they normally would. This helps keep fuel available for more people and avoids unnecessary disruption. If limits were ever needed, we would clearly explain why and communicate this in advance.

We're:

• Closely monitoring fuel demand and stock levels across our network
• Continuing regular fuel deliveries with our supplier
• Supporting colleagues on forecourts to keep everyone safe
• Prioritising the delivery of good food for everyone, so customers should order online as normal