CMA updates its road fuel market monitoring to June 2026

The Competition and Markets Authority has published a fresh monitoring update on the UK road fuel market, assessing how the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has affected petrol and diesel prices and retailer margins up to the end of June 2026.

The report forms part of the CMA's continuing oversight of the fuel retail sector, which the authority has maintained since raising concerns about the gap between wholesale costs and pump prices in previous years. By tracking how external events such as the Middle East conflict feed through to margins and retail prices, the CMA aims to identify whether drivers are getting a fair deal at the forecourt.

The update also covers activity under the Fuel Finder scheme, which requires fuel retailers to publish their pump prices so that drivers can compare costs before filling up. The CMA uses this pricing data to assess how well competition is working across the market and whether transparency measures are delivering real benefits for motorists.

For UK drivers, the practical takeaway is straightforward: independent oversight of the fuel market is active and ongoing, and the latest data is now in the public domain. Anyone thinking about the wider cost of motoring may also find it useful to get a clear picture of what their current car is worth. Car.co.uk offers a free instant valuation and, if you decide to sell, will buy your car directly, collect it for free and pay by bank transfer.