Drivers can now find cheapest petrol on their phone

The web address Prix-carburants.gouv.fr/mobile allows drivers to find the cheapest petrol station nearby, directly from their phone.

First, users choose the type of petrol they need (E85, Gazole, GPL, SP95, SP95-E10 or SP98), and must then enter the postal code area or department they are in (or allow the app to automatically geolocate them).

The site then identifies a choice of petrol stations offering the chosen petrol, and lists the location and prices so drivers can compare. Drivers can ‘favourite’ results to make it easier to compare next time.

Data and prices are regularly updated to give accurate information, and the site uses petrol stations’ own publicly-stated prices on the list (which they are already required to publish accurately by law at the point of sale).

The website makes an effort to list all public and open petrol stations selling over 500 m³ of petrol per year, including independent stations and those at big supermarkets alike, as 500m³ is the threshold after which stations must display accurate prices by law.

However, individual stations can also nominate themselves for inclusion on the list if they do not already appear, and members of the public can flag up missing or now-closed petrol stations for inclusion/deletion too, via the site’s online contact form.