Petrol and diesel biofuel content to be shown on label

New labels showing the biofuel content of diesel and petrol will be rolled out at filling stations, with the aim of educating drivers about the benefits of biofuels.

Petrol, which contains up to 5% renewable ethanol, will be labelled ‘E5’, while diesel, which contains up to 7% biodiesel, will be labelled as ‘B7’.

Michael Ellis, Transport Minister, said: “Drivers should be aware of the environmental impact of their travel choices, and seeing this when they are buying fuel can help remind them why decarbonising transport is so important.

“Biofuels are a key way of achieving the emissions reductions the UK needs, and their use reduced CO2 emissions by 2.7 million tonnes last year alone – the equivalent of taking around 1.2 million cars off the road.

“Our new campaign will help drivers understand the role of biofuels, while also choosing the right fuel for their vehicle at home and abroad.”

The labels are set to have an increasingly important role to play in raising consumer awareness of alternatives to traditional fuel.