Budget launches petrol price war

Budget launches

petrol price war

A new petrol price war started yesterday with major retailers promising to hold fuel at pre-Budget prices.

The supermarket giants Tesco and Sainsbury's said they would not raise prices until Monday. Shell said it was setting no time limit on its freeze and Texaco has also resisted raising prices yet. But Esso said it had increased prices in line with the Chancellor's 3.5p duty increase, raising 4-star to an average of 62.2p a litre and unleaded to 56.1p a litre. BP was due to pass on the tax rise to customers last night.