We know many of you are concerned about recent changes in fuel prices. When prices move quickly, it's natural to have questions. As your Coop, we want to be open and clear about what is happening and why.

FAQ's

How does your Coop buy fuel?

We buy fuel from on-island suppliers using a system that follows daily global market prices. This is called Platts pricing, and the supplier adds a fixed margin. We then add on our own retail margin.

What is Platts pricing in simple terms?

Platts is like a daily scoreboard for fuel costs. Every day, the global market sets a price for fuel, and Platts publishes that price. It reflects the value of fuel in global wholesale markets and is widely used across the industry.

When we buy fuel, the price we pay is linked to these market levels, usually based on prices over the previous few days. The supplier then adds an agreed margin to cover costs such as importing, storage and handling.

We then add our own margin to set the final retail price. This means our costs move in line with the market and can change frequently. If market prices rise or fall, this will feed through into the price we pay over a short period of time, unlike many of our competitors who buy fuel differently.

We receive fuel two or three times a week, so our costs change often on a weekly basis. We do not lock in a long-term fixed price for months at a time.

How do other retailers buy fuel? 

Some retailers buy fuel using a different system, where the price is fixed for an entire shipment or cargo. Their costs remain the same until the next large delivery arrives on the island. This usually means their prices change less often, but they can be higher or lower than ours depending on when they bought their fuel. They currently benefit from old pricing based on the last delivery price to the islands. This will mean they will see much higher prices the next time the islands receive a delivery.

What does this mean in practice? 

Platts pricing follows the real market, so it can move more frequently.

Cargo pricing gives more stability, but it can lock in high prices for longer if the shipment was bought at a peak.

Short-term price differences across retailers are normal and are usually due to buying systems and timing.

Why have you increased prices so quickly?

Because our fuel costs are directly linked to global market prices through the Platts system, increases in the market feed through to us (quickly) over a matter of days. We receive deliveries two to three times a week, and each delivery reflects recent market prices. This means when global prices rise sharply, our costs rise quickly too.

What has happened to cost and retail prices since the end of February?

To be fully transparent, we have set out the recent changes in both our costs and our retail prices at Coop sites in Jersey and Guernsey. These figures show that we have absorbed a meaningful part of the increases ourselves, rather than passing the full rise on to customers.

Do you have older, cheaper stock that you are still selling at higher prices?

No. Because we receive fuel deliveries multiple times each week and price is based on recent market levels, our stock is continually refreshed. This means the fuel we sell reflects current replacement costs rather than older, lower prices.

What have you done to help Members? 

We know how important fuel prices are, especially when they start to change quickly.

To help during these more unpredictable times, we’ve introduced member pricing, giving our loyal members an extra 5p off every litre*. It’s a simple way for us to help ease pressure on household budgets when many are feeling the squeeze.

We also understand that when prices rise quickly, it can feel frustrating or unexpected. These changes are largely driven by global markets and the timing of fuel deliveries to the islands, rather than any shift in our approach or an effort to increase profits.

* Valid on fuel purchased 23 Feb - 06 April 2026. Member only offer. Member number must be quoted at fuel purchase.

For more information, please read a message from our CEO: 

We know many of you are concerned about recent changes in fuel prices. When prices move quickly, it is natural to have questions. As your Coop, we want to be open and clear about what is happening and why.

Our commitment is always to act in the best interests of our members. We are owned by you, and our purpose is to return value to you and our community, not to take it away. That is why transparency about fuel pricing matters so much to us.

Fuel is a complex product to buy, and global markets can move very quickly. When prices rise suddenly, it can understandably feel confusing or frustrating. Some comments have questioned whether our Coop benefits from these changes, so we want to address that directly. As a member-owned organisation, every penny of profit is either reinvested for community benefit or returned to members. It is not in our interest to overcharge, and we do not benefit from rapid or unexpected price movements.

In recent weeks, global events have pushed oil and fuel costs sharply higher. Disruption to international supply routes, including restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, has reduced the flow of oil and gas to world markets. This has driven wholesale fuel prices up at a pace not seen for many years, affecting retailers across the world.

Here in Jersey and Guernsey, fuel prices are not set in isolation. The cost of the fuel we buy from our on-island supplier is directly linked to global wholesale prices. When those prices rise quickly, the impact is felt locally very fast.

Our aim is simple: to explain clearly how fuel is bought, how prices are set, and what drives the changes you see at the pumps. We want to reassure you that we are acting fairly, keeping margins as tight as possible, and doing everything we can to limit the impact on you and your household budget.

To help with this, we have published a set of frequently asked questions on our website, which provide further detail on our costs and how our retail prices move. We hope this added transparency is helpful.

Thank you for your continued support, and for being part of your Coop.