Google Maps shows UK fuel prices from Thursday via Fuel Finder

Google Maps will show UK fuel prices from Thursday, displaying petrol and diesel costs at forecourts when users search, using data supplied via the government's Fuel Finder scheme. The launch comes days after the price of diesel topped £2 per litre for the first time. Fuel Finder requires UK forecourts to add their prices within 30 minutes of changing them, making it a legal obligation rather than a voluntary disclosure.blog.google+1

The feature matters because fuel costs have soared, and Google Maps is used by 77% of Britain's adult population for general navigation, according to Ofcom. RAC policy head Simon Williams described diesel crossing £2 per litre as "a price threshold no one wanted to cross". Fuel costs around the world have been dramatically impacted by the US war with Iran and Russia's war with Ukraine.

What the feature actually does

Searching for "petrol" or "fuel" on Maps or Waze shows the latest prices, with petrol and diesel rates visible directly on the map and all fuel types offered by a station listed in one place, according to Google's announcement by Sarah-Jayne Williams, Global Product Partnerships Director at Google Maps and Waze. The feature is already part of Waze, used by around 2 million people in the UK. Apple Maps does not show fuel prices.

Google said it would check the Fuel Finder data independently and would not display prices it believed were not up-to-date. Sarah-Jayne Williams said: "Accuracy is very important, so we will still show the petrol station and where it is, but you'll only see a price if we have high confidence that it's the right price." The feature uses Fuel Finder data supplied in partnership with the UK Government and the UK Waze community.

Fuel Finder was launched in February by former chancellor Rachel Reeves, who said at the time it could save households £40 per year. It is a legal requirement for UK forecourts to add their prices to Fuel Finder within 30 minutes of changing them. The Retail Motor Industry Federation, which represents thousands of UK forecourts and petrol retailers, said its members were complying with the scheme.

Where the price data comes from

Diesel has since fallen by 2p from its £2 per litre peak, but the AA says an average 55 litre tank of diesel still costs around £110, with the petrol equivalent coming to around £96. Multiple apps already exist dedicated to finding the cheapest fuel, but Google Maps reaches a far larger audience through its general navigation use across Britain.

Some experts say Fuel Finder is not entirely reliable. Clare Lafferty, director at the price comparison site PetrolPrices, said: "At the moment, we still have to supplement the Government's Fuel Finder feed with other data sources because, on its own, it does not provide the level of coverage and accuracy needed to deliver a complete and reliable service to motorists." She said there are still sites that have not registered with the scheme at all.

Coverage gaps and accuracy doubts

Clare Lafferty said some sites have registered but are not consistently updating their prices within the required timeframe. PetrolPrices identified 200 forecourts in September which it did not believe had updated their diesel prices in time. The coverage gaps explain why Google said it would only display a price when it has high confidence the price is correct, showing the station location regardless.

Fuel prices are under pressure globally. In Hong Kong, retail standard petrol reached about HK$34.60 per litre, a jump of 16.6% since late February, as the Middle East conflict disrupts global shipping and strains energy supplies, authorities told lawmakers. Hong Kong customs arrested at least 84 people over illegal fuel dealings and seized 95,000 litres of fuel as of September, showing how high prices drive illicit trade.hongkongfp.com

What happens next

The Google Maps fuel price feature launches on Thursday, with prices drawn from the Fuel Finder scheme and independently checked before display. Motorists will be able to compare forecourt prices alongside their route rather than relying on separate fuel-finding apps. The accuracy of the displayed prices will depend on forecourts meeting the 30-minute update requirement that Fuel Finder makes legally binding.