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Motorists buy 33% less fuel as prices rise

Published

A petrol station forecourt with fuel pumps under a lit canopy at night.
by Pexels via Pixabay

Discovery Insure data from more than 200,000 clients shows motorists made only 6% fewer trips in October. They cut how much fuel they buy each time, with the average purchase falling from about 36 litres to 31 litres.

Discovery Insure CEO Robert Attwell discussed the findings on The Money Show. He said long-distance trips are the first to go. Data showed a 30% decline in long-distance trips during the winter months.

Small purchases are now more common. Transactions of less than 20 litres make up 36% of fuel purchases, up from 25% in 2025.

Average monthly fuel spending was approximately R1,750 at the start of 2025. By mid-2026 it was between R2,500 and R2,700.

Attwell said everyday commuting and school runs stay essential, which makes it hard to cut transport costs. He also said: "Really, people are just trying to save a few hundred rand, and we see this through the smaller fuel purchases."

Key facts

Who
Robert Attwell (CEO of Discovery Insure); Stephen Grootes (presenter of The Money Show, interviewer)
What
New Discovery Insure data, drawn from more than 200,000 clients, shows fuel purchase volumes fell 33% in October while trips fell only 6%, with average purchases dropping from about 36 to 31 litres. Discovery Insure CEO Robert Attwell discussed the findings on The Money Show.
When
2 November 2026
Status
Reported

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