Fuel prices have soared to an eight-year high as desperate drivers struggle to fill up their cars during a nationwide shortage.
The RAC said the average price of a litre of petrol across the UK increased from 135.87p on Friday to 136.59p on Sunday - the highest it's been since 2013.
Drivers are now being warned to compare local and supermarket pump prices before filling up as some stations and garages are reportedly cashing in.
It comes as drivers this morning reported being charged 154.9p a litre at a forecourt where the advertised price is 134.9p.
One person tweeted: "Texaco A1 advertise £1-39 per litre outside, come to pay and it’s £1-54,99p per litre."
Another UK garage increased its fuel prices to 198.9p a litre. despite the average price for unleaded petrol being 134.86p a litre, and 137.35p for diesel, The Mirror reports.
The RAC said it's "pretty bleak picture for drivers" and warned that prices could hike further amid rising costs of wholesale prices.
The wholesale price of petrol rose from 123.25p on Monday last week to 125.22p just four days later.
Experian Catalist, which tracks forecourt prices, shows petrol prices are climbing:
Monday
Petrol: 135.32, diesel: 137.22
Tuesday
Petrol: 135.59, diesel: 137.18
Wednesday
Petrol: 135.51, diesel: 137.33
Thursday
Petrol: 135.77, diesel: 137.46
Friday
Petrol: 135.90, diesel: 137.62
Saturday
Petrol: 135.83, diesel: 137.99
Sunday
Petrol: 136.69, diesel: 138.58
Fuel expert Luke Bosdet at the AA said it’s not uncommon for retailers to individually increase the price to a) try to deter those topping up their tanks unnecessarily and b) try to recover some of the lost income from drivers buying fuel only and not shopping within the store.
He says the message is clear: "Don’t go to a fuel station at present unless you need to fill up."
RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: "When it comes to pump prices, it's a pretty bleak picture for drivers.
"With the cost of oil rising and now near a three-year high, wholesale prices are being forced up which means retailers are paying more than they were just a few days ago for the same amount of fuel.
"This has led to the price of a litre of unleaded already going up by a penny since Friday.
"We might yet see higher forecourt prices in the coming days, irrespective of the current supply problems."
But he warned some independent retailers are cashing in on panic buyers.
"We'd remind drivers to always compare the price they're being asked to pay with the current UK averages which are 136.69p for petrol and 138.58p for diesel."
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