Almost £200,000 of fuel is being taken without payment from UK forecourts each day on average since the onset of the Iran war, according to industry analysis. The same analysis reports that incidents of non-payment have increased by about one fifth over the past five months. The data covers a national sample of service stations and highlights a sustained rise in so-called drive-offs and other forms of unpaid dispensing.
The financial impact is significant for forecourt operators: at the reported daily rate, losses run into the millions each month and add to operating costs already pressured by wholesale price volatility. Industry sources say these losses contribute to tighter margins for independent sites and higher security and administrative outlays for larger chains. Forecourt retailers face both direct losses from stolen fuel and indirect costs such as staff time and insurance premiums.
Incidents described in the analysis include vehicles leaving forecourts without paying after filling, as well as cases where payment systems are bypassed. In response, many outlets have adopted a range of practical measures, including reinforced pay-at-pump controls, enhanced CCTV coverage and clearer signage about payment requirements. Some operators have also returned to stricter prepayment policies at pumps where anonymous or unattended refuelling is frequent.
Industry analysts and operators are urging closer collaboration with local authorities to address the trend, while continuing to monitor patterns across regions and times of day. Police forces investigating larger incidents say they are working with retailers to gather evidence and identify repeat offenders. The analysis recommends ongoing data collection to inform targeted enforcement and to evaluate the effectiveness of preventive measures as forecourt operators adapt to rising theft levels.
