Rubbish Check
BBC Business · 2 March 2026
source“UK diesel price close to all-time high”
R2/ 10
Lightly altered
Rubbish Rating — 1 = base fact, 10 = pure rubbish
12345678910
In short
Rubbish Talk rates BBC Business's claim that "UK diesel price close to all-time high" a 2/10 because RAC's own data puts the average diesel price at 198.32p, just 0.77p below the verified 199.09p record set on 25 June 2022.
The Verdict
Base fact, lightly altered. The headline states exactly what RAC reported, no exaggeration, no loaded verb, and the article backs it with the actual gap in pence rather than a vague "surging" claim. The only shave off a perfect score is that "close to" doesn't specify how close, but the body immediately supplies the missing number.
What actually happened
Diesel prices were reported nearing a record as fallout from the US-Israel-Iran conflict continued disrupting oil supply. RAC's Simon Williams said the June 2022 high would "almost certainly be surpassed over the weekend as retailers continue to pass on the increases they're seeing when they buy new supply." The article also notes the market regulator found "not seen evidence of retailers actively changing their pricing strategies to take advantage of the crisis", undercutting a price-gouging angle it could have run with instead.
Key facts
- RAC's own fuel-price page confirms the historic records cited: "Average petrol and diesel prices hit records during the summer of 2022. The highest ever average prices were 191.5p per litre of petrol (on 3 July 2022) and 199.09p per litre of diesel (on 25 June 2022)."
- Current average diesel: 198.32p/litre, 0.77p short of the all-time record, per the article.
- Petrol at 173.6p is the highest in over four years but still well below its 2022 peak of 191.5p, giving proper context rather than conflating the two fuels.
- Brent crude has swung from about $70/barrel pre-war to over $120 at peak, back to near $70 after a brief truce, and now above $100, directly linked via the ~7p-per-litre-per-$10 rule cited in the article.
- Diesel was 142.38p before the war began; the rise to 198.32p is roughly 39%.
What to watch for
Watch whether prices actually cross 199.09p this weekend as RAC forecasts, since the headline is a forward-looking "close to" claim that needs confirming. Also watch Trump's mooted US diesel export ban, which the article flags could push UK prices even higher if enacted, and any Strait of Hormuz resolution that could reverse the trend.
About this scoreThe R-Score is Rubbish Talk's editorial opinion on how far a headline's framing sits from what the underlying facts support. It is a judgement about presentation and emphasis, not an allegation that any outlet has acted dishonestly. Every figure we rely on is linked under Receipts so you can check it yourself.
