As of December 2023, the United States' multinational oil and gas firm Esso owned 1,267 petrol stations in the United Kingdom. Ranking second, the British multinational company Shell owned 1,162 petrol stations. The only other brand across the nation with more than 1,000 sites was BP. This is contrasted against the previous year when Shell had less petrol stations than BP. Although in 2022, BP owned the second largest number of sites, 46 of their petrol stations were closed between 2022 and 2023.
Majority of fuel sold at supermarkets
Although large oil and gas companies owned more petrol stations than any other brands, it was supermarkets that sold the largest volumes of fuel. In December 2023, Sainsbury’s had sold approximately 11,828 kiloliters, with Tesco close behind. In comparison, Shell sold 4,638 kiloliters. It is easy to see why, when fuel prices from supermarkets are consistently cheaper than the UK average.
European comparisons
At the end of 2023, the number of petrol stations in the UK amounted to 8,353. As of 2022, the number of stations in the UK was significantly less than the number of petrol stations in Italy where there were 21,750 sites across the country.
Number of petrol stations sites in the United Kingdom (UK) as of December 2023, by brand*
* Includes all operational and under development sites and excludes non-retails.
** The source adds: Certas Energy includes Gulf, Pace, Power, Scottish Fuels and UK. CO-OP stands for Co-op Share Brand, and includes sites from various societies operating under their own Co-op branded pole sign; other Co-op dealer sites operating under fuel brands, e.g. Texaco, are shown under that Share brand. Applegreen includes Welcome Break sites previously included under Minor Brands. Minor Brand now includes those sites previously included under Food Store
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Petrol Retailers Association. (March 1, 2024). Number of petrol stations sites in the United Kingdom (UK) as of December 2023, by brand* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 30, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/312047/petrol-station-sites-by-brand-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/
Petrol Retailers Association. "Number of petrol stations sites in the United Kingdom (UK) as of December 2023, by brand*." Chart. March 1, 2024. Statista. Accessed October 30, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/312047/petrol-station-sites-by-brand-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/
Petrol Retailers Association. (2024). Number of petrol stations sites in the United Kingdom (UK) as of December 2023, by brand*. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: October 30, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/312047/petrol-station-sites-by-brand-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/
Petrol Retailers Association. "Number of Petrol Stations Sites in The United Kingdom (Uk) as of December 2023, by Brand*." Statista, Statista Inc., 1 Mar 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/312047/petrol-station-sites-by-brand-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/
Petrol Retailers Association, Number of petrol stations sites in the United Kingdom (UK) as of December 2023, by brand* Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/312047/petrol-station-sites-by-brand-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/ (last visited October 30, 2024)
Number of petrol stations sites in the United Kingdom (UK) as of December 2023, by brand* [Graph], Petrol Retailers Association, March 1, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/312047/petrol-station-sites-by-brand-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/
