Falls to fuel prices have ground to a halt following three months of consecutive drops.
The average price of a litre of unleaded stayed at 140.5p in January, while diesel remained at 148.5p, making full tanks £77.24 and £81.73, according to data from RAC Fuel Watch.
Petrol prices have been falling steadily, hitting their lowest level in two years in January, following a sharp rise in prices after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine when prices reached well over $110 per barrel.
Crude oil prices have been lower since meaning forecourt prices have also fallen.
The attacks by Houthi rebels on vessels in the Red Sea have threatened to disrupt supply, although this has not yet happened, with the UK Treasury reportedly modelling various scenarios for the potential impact the disruption could have, including crude oil prices rising by more than $10 a barrel and a 25 per cent increase in natural gas.
While the events present additional risks and add time and costs for shipping companies, the rerouting option means they are still able to supply fuel to the European market.
But despite the attacks not having a serious knock-on effect on motorists yet, the wholesale prices of both petrol and diesel increased by 3p and 4p respectively in January.
This is on the back of oil rising to more than $80 for the first time since the end of November.
Simon Williams, RAC fuel spokesman, said: “January unfortunately brought an end to three consecutive months of falling prices at the pumps.”
But he added that despite the attacks on tankers in the Red Sea the oil market appears relatively stable on the back of weaker global demand.
“Positively for drivers, analysts aren’t forecasting much short-term change from the current barrel price of $82.”
The RAC also found that there is currently a 14p difference between the highest and lowest-priced supermarket petrol.
The cheapest litre of unleaded found by the RAC was sold by Sainsbury’s for 131.9p in Oxford and Newport, with the most expensive being Morrisons at 145.9p in Exeter and Ipswich.
While the average difference between a litre of petrol at a supermarket was nearly 12p (11.6p), Tesco had the smallest gap – 8p – between its low of 138.2p and its high of 142.9p.
For diesel there was a spread of more than 14p between Sainsbury’s forecourts in Oxford and Newport charging 139.9p, compared to Bath at 153.9p. The average spread between supermarkets’ high and low diesel was just over 11p (11.3p).
Williams added: “It seems blatantly wrong to us that the very same petrol or diesel can vary in price by as much as 14p a litre, depending on where drivers are filling up.”