Motoring groups have criticised fuel retailers for refusing to pass on savings to consumers.

The AA claims that major falls in wholesale prices since October have not be reflected on the forecourt where festive UK petrol prices are at unprecedented highs.

Average pump prices have fallen just 0.42p per litre since November despite a near 2p drop in wholesale prices this month.

ASDA knocked 3p per litre off its pump prices last week and Tesco quickly responded with a similar cut.

But the AA says that the ASDA price drop has sparked a “phoney price war” where other retailers only cut prices when in direct competition with the price-cutting supermarkets.

The current Christmas high prices are in sharp contrast to last year when retailers battled it out with each other to sell petrol at 85p per litre to take advantage of low oil prices.

Keep up to date with the latest petrol prices in Sussex every Friday with The Argus.