Multiple Oxfordshire petrol stations have said the Government should reduce VAT on petrol and diesel as their profit margins collapse.

Fuel prices across the UK have seen a sharp increase since the US and Israel launched their initial strikes at Iran on February 28.

This is largely due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, an important shipping route to the south of Iran.

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Nick Allen, managing director at Sportif Suzuki in Long Hanborough said the week after the war began, they were told last minute that their diesel supply – usually between 34,000 and 38,000 litres – would be halved.

Although the business’ fuel levels have since returned to normal there have been other reports around Oxfordshire and the UK of fuel shortages.

Milton Service Station in Oxfordshire (Image: Google Maps)

A spokesperson for Sainsbury’s, which manages a number of forecourts, said: “We are actively monitoring stock levels in all locations and continuing to resupply sites where needed.”

Mr Allen’s business has also been hit by the dramatic increase in prices, which according to the RAC has been on average 25.5 per cent per litre for diesel and 13.7 per cent per litre for unleaded petrol between February 26 and March 27.

He explained that their station’s pricing is dependent on the terminal and is fixed weekly.

“We try our best to match the lowest prices in our area, but everyone’s pricing is dependent on different systems,” he said.

Normally they would look to around 4p or 5p per litre as a profit margin, but he said they were “very close to cost price at the moment”.

Martin Prew, owner of Milton Service Station, also said they were making little money on fuel, with their margins approximately halved.

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“The margins are a lot thinner” he said, adding on overall prices: “Over the last six weeks the wholesale price is about 40p a litre more for diesel and a 20p rise for petrol.”

Both were critical of the government’s current refusal to reduce VAT, which is set at 20 per cent.

Mr Allen said: “There should be a temporary reduction on VAT and fuel duty. 

“At the moment, it is not right. Rachel Reeves talks about profiteering, but she should look at herself.”

Mr Prew said: “They are collecting more taxes than two months ago, and VAT is a big part of that. 

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“If they could do a short-term subsidy on the duty that would make a vast difference.”

However, the government has rejected this view, suggesting that as energy prices rise, people cut back on other spending that would usually be subject to VAT.

As such, they said there is no ‘windfall’ in terms of revenue.

A government spokesperson said: “Millions of motorists filled up their cars and travelled over the Easter weekend.

“Our fuel system is robust and continues to work well.”

Bridewell has published analysis showing that data privacy complaints to the Information Commissioner’s Office rose across several major UK sectors, with finance, insurance and credit recording the highest total.

The data covers complaints logged with the regulator over two 12-month periods and points to continued pressure on organisations handling large volumes of personal information. Finance, health, and online technology and telecoms generated the most complaints in both years.

In finance, insurance and credit, complaints rose 5 per cent to 4,630 in the later period from 4,422 a year earlier, keeping the sector at the top of the rankings.

Health ranked second, with complaints increasing to 4,082 from 3,903, a rise of 179 cases over the year.

Retail and manufacturing recorded the fastest annual increase among the sectors highlighted in the research. Complaints rose 12 percent to 2,714 from 2,421, though the total remained below finance and health.

Regulatory outcomes

The research also tracked how complaint cases were resolved. Cases resulting in informal action responses fell 22 per cent between the two reporting periods.

At the same time, cases concluding with “No Further Action” rose 14 per cent. This may reflect a higher bar for intervention, with regulators focusing resources on complaints with clearer evidence of risk, harm, or repeated non-compliance.

The analysis also noted that one common reason for taking no further action was insufficient information. That underlines the importance of evidence and documentation in complaints about the handling of personal information.

Sector pressure

The figures come as businesses in heavily regulated and data-intensive industries face closer scrutiny over their treatment of customer and user data. Financial services firms, healthcare providers, retailers and digital platforms all handle sensitive personal information at scale, making them more exposed to complaints and enforcement action.

Separate Bridewell research in financial services found that 39 per cent of organisations viewed data privacy and protection as one of their biggest cyber security challenges. The latest complaint analysis adds to that picture by showing where members of the public are directing concerns to the regulator.

Recent enforcement activity has also kept data privacy high on corporate risk agendas. Reddit was fined more than GBP £14 million for failing to carry out a data protection impact assessment and for not checking the age of users accessing its platform.

The case reflects wider regulatory attention on children’s privacy and on whether organisations have put safeguards in place around the use of personal data. For companies operating in consumer-facing markets, such decisions can create both financial and reputational risks.

Chris Linnell, Associate Director of Data Privacy at Bridewell, said: “Rising complaint volumes in sectors like financial services and healthcare show that public expectations around data protection continue to grow. Organisations can’t treat privacy as a compliance box-ticking exercise; it must be central to business operations.”

He also pointed to the consequences of weak controls as regulators sharpen their focus on data governance. “Cases like this highlight the escalating reputational, financial, and operational costs of inadequate privacy controls.”

Tenzo has appointed Jane O’Riordan as Chair of the Board, adding a senior hospitality executive to its leadership team.

O’Riordan brings more than 25 years of industry experience, including roles at Nando’s, Pizza Express and Gourmet Burger Kitchen. She currently chairs Caravan Restaurants and Red Engine, the parent company of Flight Club Darts and Electric Shuffle, and previously served as Chair of Turtle Bay.

Her appointment comes as hospitality operators face sustained pressure on margins and staffing. Tenzo sells a data and analytics platform that helps multi-site restaurant and hospitality groups track live sales, labour, inventory, reservations and guest information in one system.

The role will focus on supporting long-term strategy and governance as Tenzo looks to expand further in the UK and overseas. Founded in 2016 by Christian Mouysset and Adam Taylor, the company aims to give restaurant operators a real-time view of performance rather than relying on historical reporting.

Sector experience

O’Riordan also chairs the UK Hospitality Sector Council’s Innovation Working Group, giving her a broader role in industry discussions on change and modernisation. Her career has spanned board and operating positions across restaurant and leisure brands, making her a well-known figure in the UK’s casual dining market.

That background is likely to be relevant for a company serving a sector grappling with rising costs, labour shortages and weaker consumer spending. Operators are under pressure to improve decision-making at site level while managing wage bills, stock levels and customer demand more precisely.

In comments released alongside the appointment, O’Riordan linked those pressures to the need for real-time information in restaurant operations.

“I have always believed data should empower operators, not overwhelm them. This is what excites me about Tenzo. The team has built a platform with real impact, helping hospitality businesses become smarter, more resilient and more profitable at a time when the industry needs it most.

“With margins under pressure and labour challenges continuing, Tenzo is giving operators an opportunity to turn real-time data into confident, decisive action. I am excited to help scale Tenzo’s vision responsibly, both in the UK and internationally,” O’Riordan said.

Company focus

Tenzo operates in a crowded hospitality software market, where restaurants increasingly rely on a mix of point-of-sale systems, labour scheduling tools, booking platforms and customer feedback products. Companies in this market are trying to reduce the fragmentation that leaves operators switching between separate systems to understand daily trading.

Tenzo’s approach is to combine those data sources into a single operational view, allowing managers to respond more quickly to issues such as staffing levels, sales trends and cost control.

Mouysset said O’Riordan’s experience as a chair and her understanding of the restaurant market were key factors in the appointment.

“Jane’s appointment marks an exciting time for the business. As Tenzo approaches its next stage of growth, Jane will be influential not only because of her outstanding Chair experience leading fast-growth brands, but also because of her deep, hands-on understanding of the hospitality industry today.”

“Jane is aligned with our customer-obsessed mindset and belief in constant experimentation, as well as our view of Tenzo. Like us, she sees Tenzo as the glue that holds together the hospitality technology stack, helping orchestrate and democratise access to data for all operators,” Mouysset said.

The appointment also reflects a wider trend of hospitality technology companies seeking board members with direct operating experience in restaurants and leisure. As cost pressures persist across the sector, software vendors are increasingly expected to show not just technical expertise but also a clear understanding of how site managers and senior operators make day-to-day decisions.

For Tenzo, bringing in a chair with experience across both established restaurant chains and newer leisure formats gives the board exposure to different operating models across the market.