New fuel labels to be introduced at filling stations

New EU-wide fuel labels will be rolled out across all filling stations by September 2019, to help inform drivers them of the biofuel content of both petrol and diesel.

Petrol, which contains up to 5% renewable ethanol, will be labelled ‘E5’, while diesel, which contains up to 7% biodiesel, will be labelled as ‘B7’.

Last year, the carbon dioxide (CO2) savings from using biofuels in road transport was equivalent to taking over a million cars off the UK’s roads.

A Department for Transport (DfT) spokesman said: “These new labels will help drivers chose the right fuel for their vehicle, whilst also highlighting the use of biofuels in reducing the CO2 emissions from everyday road vehicles.

“Our Road to Zero strategy set out our ambition to end the sale of diesel and petrol cars by 2040, while the ongoing decarbonising of traditional fuels will help during this transition.”

The labels will appear on the pumps on every forecourt and on the filler caps of all new vehicles.

DfT says that these labels will be increasingly important as new fuels come onto the market.

In 2018, it issued a call for evidence on whether and how best to introduce E10, a petrol grade with up to 10% renewable ethanol. It plans to issue its response to the consultation later this year.