ESSO vs SAINSBURY'S: Which is Cheaper Today?
Side-by-side comparison of ESSO (1441 UK stations) and SAINSBURY'S (316 UK stations) using live Fuel Finder prices refreshed every 30 minutes.
Today's Prices, Head-to-Head
| Fuel | ESSO 1441 stations |
SAINSBURY'S 316 stations |
Difference | Saving on 60L fill | Cheaper today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unleaded (E10) | 159.2p 1433 stations |
155.6p 316 stations |
3.6p | £2.16 | SAINSBURY'S |
| Super Unleaded (E5) | 178.0p 1333 stations |
167.6p 292 stations |
10.4p | £6.24 | SAINSBURY'S |
| Diesel (B7) | 177.7p 1429 stations |
172.7p 316 stations |
5.0p | £3.00 | SAINSBURY'S |
Averages exclude stations with price-correction flags. A 60L fill is used as a representative tank size.
About each brand
Esso operates one of the UK's larger oil-major branded forecourt networks and is often the cheapest of the three oil-major brands on standard grades. The Esso brand is owned by ExxonMobil but most UK sites are dealer-operated: Rontec, EG On The Move and independent retailers run the majority of Esso-branded forecourts. Many Esso sites are co-branded with Tesco Express or Sainsbury's Local convenience stores, making them a common fill-up-and-shop stop in residential areas. Esso's premium grade is Synergy Supreme+, a 99-octane E5 super unleaded with ExxonMobil's branded detergent additive pack. Esso is a Nectar collection partner, giving 1 Nectar point per litre of fuel (with occasional multiplier promotions on premium grades).
Sainsbury's operates filling stations attached to its larger supermarket sites. Sainsbury's forecourts are generally priced in line with other big-four supermarkets but can sit a pence or two per litre above ASDA on typical days, particularly in rural areas. The main draw of Sainsbury's fuel is integration with the Nectar loyalty scheme — drivers earn 1 Nectar point per litre of fuel, with occasional multiplier promotions boosting that rate. Note that Nectar points can only be redeemed on fuel at the kiosk, not at pay-at-pump. Sainsbury's uses local competitor surveys to set prices, so sites with a Tesco or ASDA nearby track those competitors more aggressively.
Loyalty & Highlights
- Synergy Supreme+: 99-octane E5 super unleaded with ExxonMobil's detergent additives.
- Nectar: 1 point per litre of fuel at participating Esso stations.
- Nectar redemption: 300 points = 5p/L off (minimum 10L fill) at participating Esso stations.
- Co-branded with Tesco Express or Sainsbury's Local at many UK sites.
- Nectar: 1 point per litre of fuel (standard rate), with occasional multiplier promotions.
- Nectar redemption on fuel is kiosk-only — pay-at-pump transactions cannot redeem points.
- Fuels: E10 unleaded, E5 super unleaded, B7 diesel.
- Price-matched locally using competitor surveys.
Cheapest forecourts right now
Top 3 sites for each brand, excluding stations with flagged prices.