Do Service Stations Offer Different Prices for Different Payment Methods?

Since January 2018, UK businesses have been banned from charging surcharges for debit or credit card payments. This means the price on the pump should be the same whether you pay by card, cash, contactless or mobile payment.

While the law is clear, a tiny number of independent stations may still have minimum spend requirements for card payments. This is increasingly rare in Stafford, where all major stations accept all common payment methods without restrictions.

The price is the same whether you pay at the pump or walk to the counter. Pay-at-pump is simply more convenient — you can fill up without queueing in the shop. Most modern stations in Stafford offer this option.

Rather than worrying about payment method surcharges, focus on finding the cheapest pump price. The difference between stations (4–8p per litre in Stafford) is far more significant than any payment-related variation. Compare prices now on Stafford Fuel Prices.