Euro Car Parks faces CMA probe over petrol forecourt tickets

The Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Euro Car Parks over whether parking charges for drivers queuing at petrol forecourts, or using pumps and services such as car washes, are fair—and whether its wider appeals processes may breach consumer protection law. No finding of wrongdoing has been made yet.

Key Takeaways

• The CMA opened a consumer-law probe into Euro Car Parks’ petrol-station practices and appeals handling; the case is in evidence gathering and is expected to run until spring 2027.
• Regulators are also pressing the wider private parking industry over unclear signs, broken machines, faulty apps, appeals handling, and extra recovery fees on top of charges.
• Private parking tickets at places such as gyms, supermarkets, restaurants and retail parks have more than doubled in six years, to about 14.4 million, according to RAC research cited by the BBC.
• Drivers who believe a charge is wrong should appeal quickly—within 14 days where an early payment discount applies—and keep photos, receipts and other evidence.
• A separate CMA administrative penalty against Euro Car Parks for failing to respond to an information notice is under appeal and does not relate to alleged consumer-law breaches.

For drivers watching household costs, a surprise parking charge at the pump can hit as hard as a rising fuel bill. That is why this CMA action sits alongside other money-saving guidance in our Wealth Hacks & Passive Income coverage—protecting cash you already have matters as much as earning more of it.

Why is Euro Car Parks being investigated?

According to the Competition and Markets Authority, the investigation asks whether it is fair for some drivers to receive parking charges while queuing for, or using, petrol pumps and other forecourt services such as car washes.

The CMA is also examining aspects of Euro Car Parks’ wider appeals processes for both petrol stations and car parks, and whether those processes may breach consumer protection law.

The BBC reports that Euro Car Parks is one of the UK’s largest private parking providers, with more than 3,000 facilities across the UK and Ireland and more than two million cars using its spots every day, according to the company’s website. The BBC said it had contacted the firm for comment.

The CMA stresses it is at the beginning of the probe and has reached no conclusions about whether Euro Car Parks has broken the law. The BBC says the investigation is in the evidence-gathering stage and is set to run until spring 2027.

Motorists on social media have told the BBC they were baffled after getting tickets linked to overstaying at petrol stations—including while charging electric vehicles, putting air in tyres, or getting fuel—and some said the rules were not obvious from signage.

What else is the CMA doing about private parking?

The Euro Car Parks case sits inside a broader CMA package aimed at fairer private parking for UK drivers. The regulator says motorists often feel unfairly ticketed and have highlighted unclear signage, broken ticket machines and faulty apps.

From its own analysis, the CMA has particular concerns about how some operators handle appeals and attempt to recover additional fees on top of the parking charge. It has written to operators outlining those concerns and called on the sector and trade associations to improve appeals handling and communications.

RAC research cited by the BBC suggests tickets issued in places such as gyms, supermarkets, restaurants and retail parks more than doubled in six years, to 14.4 million. The CMA similarly notes 2024/25 volumes at those types of sites were more than double the number six years earlier.

Emma Cochrane, the CMA’s executive director of consumer protection, said parking charges can be stressful because costs are high and often unexpected when people are budgeting carefully. Companies must treat motorists fairly at all stages, she said, with a clear and consistent appeals process at the heart of that duty.

“It’s time for all private parking operators to comply with consumer law or risk action from the CMA,” Cochrane said. In an open letter, the CMA warned operators to review terms and conditions and change them if needed to stay compliant.

The CMA has also recommended that government raise standards in the Private Parking Code of Practice it has consulted on—including clearer rights information, fairer appeals, and a look at consideration-period rules.

Separately, Euro Car Parks was issued with an administrative penalty for non-compliance with a CMA information notice. The company has appealed; the CMA says that penalty relates solely to the failure to respond and does not concern alleged consumer-law breaches. Under the new consumer regime, infringements can bring fines of up to 10% of global turnover, or £300,000 where that is higher.

How are consumer groups and motoring bodies reacting?

Which? consumer law expert Lisa Webb told the BBC it was positive to see the CMA launch its investigation, noting people often feel frustrated fighting charges they see as unfair—including for queuing for a petrol pump or car wash.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at The AA, said forecourts and parking operators need to let motorists get fuel without being penalised “for simply waiting their turn,” adding that drivers already feeling the pinch from rising pump prices do not expect a parking charge for sitting in a queue.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams called the CMA’s effort a “major step forward in ensuring drivers are treated fairly by private parking operators,” and said the watchdog had shone light on appeals problems that need fixing ahead of the government’s response on the Private Parking Code of Practice.

Trade bodies including the International Parking Community and the British Parking Association said they were reviewing the CMA’s letter and focusing on fair treatment and industry standards, the BBC reported.

What should you do if you get a petrol forecourt parking charge?

The CMA has published practical tips for navigating private parking and avoiding unnecessary costs—advice that also applies if you are challenged after filling up.

Check the rules for each site you use. Signs set out the terms, and not every car park works the same way; even sites for the same supermarket chain can differ by location.

Do not assume free parking is automatic just because you are a customer. Some places require you to register your vehicle details or scan a receipt to qualify.

If a payment machine fails, your car breaks down, or another problem arises, keep evidence: photos, receipts and payment confirmations help if you need to appeal.

If you get a charge and believe it is wrong, do not ignore it. Appeal within 14 days to stay eligible for any early payment discount; if you are not appealing, pay within that window to keep the discount.

You always have the right to appeal. Under the industry Appeals Charter referenced by the CMA, a charge should be cancelled where evidence shows an exemption—such as an emergency outside your control—and may be reduced to £20 in some cases, such as mistyping a registration after paying.

Bottom line: the Euro Car Parks investigation does not yet prove any breach of the law, but it puts petrol-forecourt ticketing and appeals under formal scrutiny—and gives drivers clearer official guidance on challenging unfair-feeling charges.