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Diesel hits £2 a litre for the FIRST TIME as G7 releases 100 million barrels to curb soaring prices

From the Newshound archive · first published 3 October 2026 · last updated 4 October 2026.

Diesel hits £2 a litre for the FIRST TIME as G7 releases 100 million barrels to curb soaring prices

UK diesel has crossed the £2-a-litre threshold for the first time, according to RAC data, with conflict in the Middle East forcing oil tankers to avoid the Strait of Hormuz. In response, the G7 has agreed to release up to 100 million barrels from strategic petroleum reserves over the coming four months, after Trump threatened to halt US diesel exports entirely.

Trump said he was 'thinking about it very seriously' before the G7 statement committed members to dropping export restrictions between partner countries.

Experts warn the reserve release amounts to only a 'short-term buffer' that erodes insurance against future supply shocks while leaving weak refining capacity and import dependence unaddressed.

With roughly 30 per cent of UK cars and 38 per cent of HGVs dependent on diesel, elevated pump prices are expected to feed through into the broader cost of goods.

MoreThe IndependentWhat is happening with diesel – and should we be worried?Evening StandardReleasing diesel stocks a ‘short-term buffer’ but not solution, experts sayAl Jazeera on MSNG7 to release 100 million barrels of oil and diesel, will it curb prices?The TimesWhy Britain’s diesel prices could hit record highsThe ScotsmanRecord price for diesel demonstrates why North Sea oil and decarbonising our economy are both vital
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