Motorists making ‘massive change’ due to fuel costs

MOTORISTS in Coventry are making a ‘massive change’ with their shopping habits due to the cost of living crisis, Asda’s boss revealed.

Consumers in the city, and right across the UK, are finding ways to reduce their expenditure to cope with skyrocketing costs.

Asda Chairman Lord Stuart Rose said drivers right across the country are now self-imposing spending limits when they top up their cars with fuel. Some are even asking staff at the till to stop scanning their groceries once the bill reaches £30.

People are heading to self-checkouts to avoid the embarrassment of not being able to pay in front of a cashier, as Mr Rose urges the government to do more to help low-income households cope with the rising cost of living.

He told the BBC: “People are trading back. They are worried about spending.”

According to the latest data from Kantar, the average annual grocery bill is on course to rise by £380. But customers are already switching up their shopping habits to cope with the surge.

He added: “They’ve got a limit that they’ve set out, too. They say £30 is one limit... and if they get to more than £30 then that’s it, stop. It’s the same with petrol.”

With fuel prices and cost of goods at supermarkets and energy bills skyrocketing, families across Britain are feeling the crunch. Mr Rose said many won’t remember inflation in the 1970s, but for those who do, it is like reliving it.

He added: “I’m of the generation that remembers what it was like last time. And once [inflation] gets hold, it’s quite pernicious.”

The rate of inflation remains at a 40-year high as households around the UK feel the squeeze. Inflation rose again in May to 9.1 per cent and is forecast to go even higher.

Fuel prices are also surging, with average petrol prices hitting 186.59p per litre in June 2022 versus 160.31p in early May, and 130.5p a year earlier. Meanwhile, average pay increases are not keeping up with inflation.

Wages, excluding bonuses, rose by 4.2% between February and April, figures from the ONS show. But when you take inflation into account, regular pay actually fell by 2.2% compared to 12 months ago.