Fuel Finder may point drivers to cheaper fuel but convenience still the deciding factor
Fueling experts Peter van Nauw and Soren Powell-Holse explore the impact that Fuel Finder is having in the UK, and why on‑site experience and convenience are still king.
The introduction of Fuel Finder in the UK means fuel retailers across the country are now required to share live pump prices via a Government-run open database, with the aim of making it simpler for drivers to compare nearby fuel stations by price.
The rollout of the scheme has seen some mixed reactions and immediate post-launch teething issues, including customers being shown incorrect pricing, may have shaped the opinions of some towards the scheme. However, for the public, it appears to be a largely welcome development, with 65% of motorists telling the AA they will now start to monitor their local pump prices using the scheme.
But while price, proximity and familiarity may influence the initial choice of fuel station, we’d be remiss to assume price alone is enough to secure repeat custom. Indeed, in a market where switching is easier than ever, do convenience, reliability and overall experience ultimately carry more weight?
Small savings, high expectations
The Government expects Fuel Finder to deliver each consumer savings of around £40 per year. According to Dover Fueling Solutions®’ (DFS) research, 71% of UK drivers visit a fuel station once or twice a week or a few times a month, meaning savings from Fuel Finder are spread thinly across individual visits. Savings though, are savings, no matter how thin. However, for many drivers, time is as tight as money, so those small, incremental savings are quickly weighed against the experience on site. With station visits typically lasting under ten minutes, tolerance for disruption is low, and a dispenser that fails to respond or a payment that does not go through can easily outweigh any price advantage.
In 2021, UK Government data showed that average daily fuel sales per site sat at 19,377 litres. If we take an average fill of 50 litres per vehicle, that equates to around 387 fuel transactions per day at a typical site. DFS has identified that almost a quarter (21%) of UK drivers say they would not return to a fuel site after a single bad experience. Applied to daily volume, this suggests that more than 80 customers per day could be at risk of not returning following a poor visit. Over the course of a year, that could translate into tens of thousands of lost visits, underlining how quickly inconvenience for customers can directly impact a bottom line. Of course, the same operational inefficiencies that cost future visits also restrict capacity and erode revenue in real time, making their impact both immediate and long term. So, while price might be grabbing the headlines, it’s not always what makes the biggest difference day to day.
Where friction can emerge
More often, it’s the quality and smoothness of the visit itself that determines whether customers return. Where friction can often arise here is not from dramatic breakdowns, but from small performance gaps where the high levels of efficiency customers have come to expect are not met. PwC’s survey of 15,000 consumers across 12 countries found that 32% would abandon a brand they love after a single bad experience, showing how quickly inconvenience can impact purchasing decisions. However, avoiding that inconvenience on the forecourt is becoming more demanding. Dispensers, payment terminals and site software are layered over years of integration, increasing complexity and the potential for performance gaps. For example, 94.6% of eligible in-store card payments in the UK are now contactless, and instant processing is expected. Even small misalignments in hardware or connectivity can quickly become visible friction.
Pay at pump, in particular, concentrates these pressures into a single moment, bringing together hardware, payment, and connectivity in one interaction without the buffer of staff support. If authorisation lags or the terminal fails to respond, the delay can feel highly frustrating for customers. As sites add car washes, electric vehicle (EV) charging and additional services, the number of potential friction points only increases further. This means that in today’s market where switching fuel stations is easy and comparison is instant, reducing friction should be seen as an equal commercial priority to pricing strategy. But while this is all well and good in theory - how can this actually be delivered?
Getting the fundamentals right
It starts with investing in systems designed to perform reliably, both individually and as part of the wider site ecosystem. A smooth visit depends on dispensers delivering accurate volumes with stable flow, terminals responding without hesitation and payment authorisation processing quickly and consistently, because those fundamentals underpin the entire customer experience.
Performance on today’s fuel stations should be shaped as much by what sits beneath the surface as by what the customer sees. Dispenser hydraulics, electronics and payment hardware must be engineered for durability and long-term reliability, not simply initial installation. Over time, the quality of those core components directly influences uptime, responsiveness, and total cost of ownership (TCO).
Crucially, however, individual performance is only part of the equation. Dispensers, payment systems and site software must operate as a coordinated whole. When those systems communicate efficiently, performance can become a great deal more predictable and resilient. This creates a clear opportunity for retailers to elevate the customer experience through reliable equipment, enhanced services, smarter technology and loyalty schemes that genuinely make a difference. For those willing to adapt their fuel sites to meet today’s consumer expectations, the opportunity is not only to reduce inconvenience, but to differentiate and elevate the overall experience.
Modernising without disruption
Another question is how to upgrade without creating operational disruption. Solving one pain point shouldn’t create another and, in some cases, full system replacement may be appropriate, particularly where infrastructure is nearing the end of its lifecycle or where broader transformation is planned. However, large scale change can introduce cost, retraining requirements, and risk if not carefully managed.
A modular approach allows sites to evolve in stages. Components can be upgraded where needed, maintaining day to day stability while improving responsiveness and integration over time. Crucially, this does not limit future ambition and more comprehensive upgrades remain possible when the timing and business case align.
Avoiding the price of inconvenience
Fuel Finder may have increased price transparency, but it does not fundamentally change what determines whether a driver returns and could have adverse effects on how a whole brand’s network is viewed. When annual savings per driver are modest and the difference between competing sites is often marginal, what carries greater weight is the experience on site. A slow transaction, a failed tap or an unreliable dispenser will outweigh a small saving per litre.
Greater price transparency has undoubtedly sharpened competition. But treating price as the sole driver of loyalty risks oversimplifying how consumers actually choose. Convenience, reliability, and a consistently smooth visit remain powerful differentiators and will be noticed when missing.
Written by Peter van Nauw, Senior Director, Systems & Payment and Soren Powell-Holse, Senior Sales Director, Europe, ANZ & KA at Dover Fueling Solutions.
