SAINSBURY'S vs TESCO: Which is Cheaper Today?

SAINSBURY'S is cheaper on 2 of 3 fuel types compared today.

Side-by-side comparison of SAINSBURY'S (315 UK stations) and TESCO (516 UK stations) using live Fuel Finder prices refreshed every 30 minutes.

Today's Prices, Head-to-Head

Fuel SAINSBURY'S
315 stations
TESCO
516 stations
Difference Saving on 60L fill Cheaper today
Unleaded (E10) 152.2p
315 stations
153.7p
516 stations
1.5p £0.90 SAINSBURY'S
Super Unleaded (E5) 164.2p
291 stations
163.1p
461 stations
1.1p £0.66 TESCO
Diesel (B7) 171.4p
315 stations
172.9p
516 stations
1.5p £0.90 SAINSBURY'S

Averages exclude stations with price-correction flags. A 60L fill is used as a representative tank size.

About each brand

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.

Tesco is one of the UK's largest supermarket fuel retailers, with filling stations attached to most of its Extra and Superstore branches. Fuel at Tesco is largely a convenience product designed to drive grocery footfall, which is why prices sit close to other supermarkets and typically undercut oil-major brands like Shell and BP on standard grades. Tesco forecourts adjust their prices locally, so sites near other supermarkets tend to be more aggressive than rural Tesco sites with less nearby competition. Tesco is a Clubcard partner on fuel, with the standard collection rate at 1 point per 2 litres and enhanced rates for Clubcard Pay+ and Tesco Bank credit card holders.

Loyalty & Highlights

SAINSBURY'S
  • 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.
TESCO
  • Clubcard: 1 point per 2 litres of fuel at standard rate; 1 point per litre with Clubcard Pay+ or a Tesco Bank credit card.
  • Fuels available: E10 unleaded, E5 Momentum 99 super unleaded, and B7 diesel. Momentum 99 is only at larger Tesco Extra sites.
  • Price-matched locally — Tesco sites near other supermarkets track those competitors closely.
  • No Tesco presence on motorway service areas — use Shell, BP or MOTO sites on long journeys.

Cheapest forecourts right now

Top 3 sites for each brand, excluding stations with flagged prices.

Cheapest unleaded (E10)

SAINSBURY'S
  • BT42 3AG 4 BRAIDWATER RETAIL PARK 144.9p View
  • BT51 3QQ 10 RIVERSIDE REGIONAL CENTRE 144.9p View
  • BD21 3RU 1 SAINSBURYS CENTRE 145.9p View
TESCO
  • KA8 0QA TESCO STORES LTD 145.9p View
  • WV2 4NJ MARSTON ROAD 145.9p View
  • M46 0AG TESCO STORES LTD, CRAB TREE LANE 146.9p View

Cheapest diesel (B7)

SAINSBURY'S
  • OX12 9AJ LIMBOROUGH ROAD 163.9p View
  • BT51 3QQ 10 RIVERSIDE REGIONAL CENTRE 163.9p View
  • RM16 6YJ HOWARD ROAD 164.9p View
TESCO
  • FY3 9JW WHITEGATE DR 165.9p View
  • SK15 2BJ TESCO STORES LTD 165.9p View
  • KA8 0QA TESCO STORES LTD 165.9p View

Frequently Asked Questions

SAINSBURY'S averages 152.2p per litre on Unleaded (E10), 1.5p cheaper than TESCO at 153.7p. That's about £0.90 off a 60-litre fill.

TESCO averages 163.1p per litre on Super Unleaded (E5), 1.1p cheaper than SAINSBURY'S at 164.2p. That's about £0.66 off a 60-litre fill.

SAINSBURY'S averages 171.4p per litre on Diesel (B7), 1.5p cheaper than TESCO at 172.9p. That's about £0.90 off a 60-litre fill.

SAINSBURY'S has 315 reporting forecourts; TESCO has 516. Figures reflect stations currently submitting prices to the UK Fuel Finder scheme.

Prices come from the UK government's Fuel Finder scheme, which requires large fuel retailers to publish pump prices. MPG Calc refreshes the data every 30 minutes.