Fleets could save 3% on fuel by using supermarket filling stations, says FuelGenie

Businesses could save an average 3% on their total monthly fuel bill by switching to using supermarket forecourts, according to FuelGenie.

The findings come from research carried out by the fuel card provider.

“As a rule people tend to buy fuel from the most convenient place and not necessarily the cheapest. So, by making the simple switch to supermarket fuel stations businesses could make a saving on their monthly fuel bills,” said Robert Pieczka, managing director of FuelGenie.

The research also found that while industries such as transport, wholesale distribution and retail firms visit the pumps the most, trades such as motor services, plumbing and construction were very close behind them. 

On average UK SME businesses were found to operate a fleet of three or more vehicles. Of these businesses nearly a third also operated a traditional pay and reclaim system where employees pay for fuel and then reclaim the expense, often completing paperwork and submitting a paper receipt.

The FuelGenie research found that companies using this traditional pay and reclaim system are not only reimbursing employees more for their fuel expenses, but are also incurring the cost of lost working hours through employees spending time submitting their mileage claims. Further time is also required by the business to process each claim and ensure payment is made.

So, while a total monthly saving of 3% on fuel expenses can appear minimal, when combined with the saving that can be made through switching to a fuel card, companies could be saving thousands of pounds a year.