London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2026

Zero-growth warning for UK economy as petrol prices surge

Zero-growth warning for UK economy as petrol prices surge

OECD singles out cost of living crisis as a cause of Britain’s slide down growth league table
Boris Johnson’s attempt to reset his troubled premiership has received a double blow after petrol prices had their biggest daily rise in 17 years and a leading international thinktank said the UK economy would slow to a standstill next year.

Fears that Britain is heading for a prolonged period of 1970s-style stagflation intensified amid fresh evidence of the damaging impact of the war in Ukraine on the cost of living and growth.

Dashing government hopes of a sustained recovery from the Covid pandemic, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) singled out the cost of living crisis as a cause of Britain’s slide down the international growth league table. It said the UK would be the weakest economy in the G7 group of leading industrial nations next year.

In the latest twist to inflation, motorists are faced with the imminent threat of the cost of filling the average family saloon hitting £100 for the first time, after the cost of a litre of petrol rose 2.23p on Tuesday to more than 180p.

The data firm Experian Catalist said a similar increase on Wednesday would result in the £100 barrier being breached. Some forecourts are already selling petrol above £2 a litre, including a BP garage on the A1 near Sunderland that was charging 202.9p.

Average diesel prices are also at a record high, hitting 186.6p on Tuesday, up 1.4p from Monday. Higher diesel prices have a significant impact on the wider economy because businesses typically use the fuel to fill vans and lorries. Before Russia’s invasion in late February, petrol and diesel were hovering around the 150p mark.

With ministers wary of a backlash from drivers, Downing Street told petrol retailers they could face investigation by the competition watchdog if there was evidence that the 5p-a-litre cut in fuel duty announced by Rishi Sunak in his March mini-budget was not being passed on.

Inflation has already hit a 40-year-high of 9% and the OECD said it would continue rising to peak at above 10% later in the year.

Despite the demands of some Conservative MPs, Sunak has no immediate plans for tax cuts and intends to wait until the budget in the autumn before coming up with another package of support. The chancellor and the prime minister will outline plans in the coming weeks to boost growth through measures such as improving skills and raising Britain’s investment in research and development.

The UK economy will grow by 3.6% in 2022 and there will be zero growth in 2023, according to the Paris-based OECD, with inflation expected to average 8.8% this year and fall to 7.4% in 2023.

The predictions, contained in the OECD’s half-yearly economic outlook, represent a sharp downgrade from the estimated 4.7% growth this year and 2.1% next year made six months ago.

Laurence Boone, the thinktank’s chief economist, said the UK was being hit by a combination of factors including higher interest rates, higher taxes, reduced trade and more expensive energy.

The OECD said the UK was expected to go from being the second fastest-growing economy in the G7 group of industrial nations after Canada this year to the slowest-growing in 2023. Japan, Germany, Italy, France and the US are the other members of the group.

A UK Treasury spokesperson said: “Thanks to the support we provided during the pandemic, the UK had the fastest growth in the G7 last year, and our unemployment rate is the lowest it’s been in nearly 50 years. But we recognise many people will be concerned by these forecasts.

“While we can’t insulate the UK from global pressures entirely, our economy is in a strong position to deal with these challenges. We have a plan for growth, and we are supporting people with the cost of living.”

The increase in petrol and diesel prices has been blamed on increased demand for fuel around the world, including in China and the US as Covid restrictions loosen. A squeeze on capacity at refineries has also kept pump prices high, while oil has fallen from peaks seen at the start of the war in Ukraine.

The business secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, wrote to forecourt retailers last month to “remind them of their responsibilities” to pass on tax cuts to motorists. He said it was “unacceptable that different locations even within the same retail chain have widely different prices”.

He has asked the Competition and Markets Authority to examine the issue. The prime minister’s spokesperson said: “The CMA have said that if they find evidence that the cut is not being passed on, that would mean competition is not working and they could launch a formal investigation. Obviously we would wholeheartedly support them. We are continuing to look at all possible options. Transparency may have an important role to play.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Biotechnology Sector Receives Increased Public Funding to Support Regional Growth
Police Chiefs Update National Protest Management Guidelines Amid Rising Demonstration Activity
UK Aviation Regulator Expands Support for Regional Airports to Strengthen Domestic Routes
CMA Launches Investigation Into Retail Pricing Across UK Grocery Sector
UK Energy Operator Warns of Winter Supply Pressures Despite Stable Overall Grid Outlook
UK Research Council Expands Funding for Regional Biotechnology and Life Sciences Clusters
UK Compensation Scheme for Post Office Horizon Scandal Reaches 80 Percent Completion
Police Chiefs Issue Updated National Guidance on Managing Large Public Demonstrations
UK Expands Regional Airport Funding Scheme to Boost Domestic Connectivity
UK Competition Watchdog Launches Inquiry Into Grocery Pricing Practices
National Grid Warns of Tight Energy Management Needs During Upcoming Winter Peak Demand
UK Education Department Introduces National Standards for AI Use in Secondary Schools
UK High Court Clears North Sea Carbon Capture Project After Final Legal Challenge Fails
Northern Ireland Leaders Hold Emergency Talks on Trade Disruption Under Windsor Framework
Welsh Government Moves to Expand Social Housing in Response to Severe Affordability Pressures
UK Economy Sees Unexpected Rise in Business Investment in Second Quarter, ONS Data Shows
Scottish Government Unveils Multi-Billion Pound Investment Plan for Renewable Energy and Grid Expansion
UK and EU Agree Enhanced Defence Cooperation Pact Covering Intelligence and North Sea Security
Prime Minister Orders Independent Review of NHS Performance After Record Waiting Lists
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 5 Percent as Services Inflation Remains Persistent
UK Heatwave Disrupts Transport, Healthcare and Public Services as Red Weather Alerts Expand Nationwide
Barclays Warns of Growing Cyber Risk Divide Between Large UK Firms and Micro Businesses
European Defence Plans Including Ukraine Integration Prompt UK Strategic Reassessment
UK Equity Markets React as US–Iran Peace Roadmap Eases Oil Price Pressures
United Kingdom Expands Global Clean Energy Partnerships With Brazil, Morocco and Tanzania
Lord David Frost Urges Incoming UK Leadership to Abandon EU Regulatory Reset Strategy
Housing Groups Support Amendment to Strengthen Fire and Gas Safety Access Powers in Social Housing
South London NHS Estates Staff Ballot on Industrial Action Over Pay Structures in Hospital Maintenance Services
United Kingdom Government Invests £60 Million in AI Research Labs at Oxford and University College London
Barclays Cyber Security Report Highlights Rising Threat Exposure Among UK Small Businesses in AI-Driven Attacks
UK Met Office Heatwave Triggers Transport Warnings as Rail Operators Urge Cancellations Amid Infrastructure Strain
South London NHS Estates Workers Ballot for Strike Action Over Pay Disputes Across Major London Hospitals
Barclays Warns of Severe Cyber Security Gap Between Large Corporations and Small Businesses in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom Government Allocates £60 Million for Artificial Intelligence Research Laboratories at Oxford and UCL
National Health Service Approves Teplizumab Treatment to Delay Onset of Type One Diabetes in First European Rollout
Met Office Issues Rare Red Extreme Heat Warning Across London, South East and West Midlands as Transport and Health Systems Face Disruption
Prime Minister Keir Starmer Resigns After Labour Party Revolt Following Economic Stagnation and Local Election Losses
United Kingdom Economy Contracts for Second Consecutive Month as Private Sector Weakens and Job Loss Fears Rise
Taxpayer Support Grows for Higher Digital Levies on Multinational Tech Companies
Bank of England Signals Caution Over Inflation Despite Easing Energy Prices
Lloyds Banking Group Expands Artificial Intelligence Hiring Amid Sector-Wide Automation Shift
Film Producer Corporate Collapse Leaves Creditors Facing Unrecoverable Losses
UK Ten-Year Brexit Anniversary Highlights Ongoing Political and Economic Uncertainty
Nottingham Maternity Scandal Inquiry Reveals Systemic Failings in NHS Care
Met Office Heatwave Prompts Public Health Warnings Across United Kingdom
Concerns Rise Over Fiscal Stability as Political Uncertainty Weighs on UK Borrowing Costs
UK Taxpayers Back Higher Digital Taxes on Global Technology Firms, Survey Shows
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates Steady Amid Persistent Services Inflation
Reform UK and Opposition Leaders Call for General Election Following Starmer’s Departure
Ten Years After Brexit Referendum, UK Faces Ongoing Political Fragmentation and Economic Debate
×