The decision has been made to reflect “the highest pump prices for two years”, the wholesaler said in a statement sent to C+D yesterday (March 7).

However, it “will continue to monitor prices at the pump so we can make future adjustments”, AAH added.

Customers who spend more than £10,000 each month with AAH will be exempt from the surcharge, as will those who require "solus distributed goods", the wholesaler added.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly, not least because of the impact pharmacies face as a result of funding cuts.”

AAH suspended its fuel surcharge from January 2015, to reflect the previous December's petrol price drop.

According to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in the year to mid-February 2017, the price of petrol increased by 18%.

Petrol reached £1.20 per litre on March 6, approximately 10p above the price two years before.

One reader took to Twitter to express his frustration:

@ChemistDruggist looks like AAH have reintroduced #FuelSurcharge grrrr!?! pic.twitter.com/vUR4Xu2kjo

— David Hawkin (@Hawkarine) March 7, 2017