Which? Car magazine has argued that premium fuels do not offer good value for money.
An investigation undertaken by Which? Car has led the magazine to claim that premium fuels are not worth the extra money. The article is certainly negative for premium fuels, although the poor current economic climate is likely to have a much more severe impact on sales.
Which? Car magazine has tested a range of premium fuels and concluded that they are a "waste of money". With regard to the engine care aspects of premium fuels, the magazine stated that "there is no conclusive evidence to show that super fuels are better for your car in the long run. So in a time of high oil prices, why would you choose to pay more?"
Several oil companies have criticized the study. BP has claimed that it would not have been possible to obtain a reliable comparison of standard and regular fuels based on short-term tests. Tesco also criticized the article, stating that it had "major reservations" about the report's methodology.
Although this negative publicity will be unwelcome news for fuel retailers, the consequences of the current economic downturn will have a much more severe impact on sales than the results of these tests. Indeed, research shows that due to the poor economic climate, motorists are increasingly seeking out the cheapest suppliers and reducing their levels of consumption.
A study undertaken by Datamonitor in September 2008 revealed that 62% of motorists use the brand of service station that they perceive to be the cheapest. Furthermore, in the last two to three months, over 40% of motorists in the UK have reduced their car usage. Out of those motorists, the average number of journeys has fallen from 15 to 10. The survey also revealed that while three quarters of all motorists have adopted measures to increase the efficiency of their vehicle, using a premium fuel was the least popular option.
