When it comes to keeping your car on the road, many people will opt to fill up at supermarkets over big-name brands, in an effort to save a few pounds.

Especially now, with fuel prices rising to unprecedented levels.

But could going cheaper be having an adverse effect on your car?

While all unleaded fuel sold in the UK conforms to the same British standards, there are some differences that could make paying for brand-name fuel a wiser choice.  

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Generally, supermarket fuel should not be considered below par of branded competitors.

But the key difference is in the performance additives added to the base unleaded fuel.

All fuel will have performance additives added to it but the specific formula differs between them, meaning the type and quantity of these additives is different in supermarket fuel as it is to branded fuel.

Two additives you should be aware of are detergents and friction modifiers, both of which can help keep your car running smoothly in the long run.

Detergents can prevent and even reverse the build-up of deposits on sensitive engine components.

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Friction modifiers meanwhile lubricate the engine's combustion chambers, reducing wear.

In addition to these and a few other additives, the base unleaded fuel is made up of a blend of hydrocarbons and ethanol.

Super-unleaded fuel has a higher amount of these performance additives however only high-performance, and some imported vehicles will really benefit from this more expensive fuel option.