Earlier this month, AAH Pharmaceuticals announced that it would introduce a fuel surcharge of £10 per month from April 1, to reflect “the highest pump prices for two years”.

But Phoenix said last week (March 15) that it will not follow suit as pharmacies are already facing a cut to funding.

Commenting on Phoenix's decision, John D’Arcy, managing director of Numark – which is owned by Phoenix – said independents are under “immense pressure” and “the last thing they need is an additional financial burden, no matter what the rationale".

“As a business, the main objective of any community pharmacy at the moment is to remain profitable, which can be very difficult if we are not mindful of the challenges facing the sector,” Mr D’Arcy said.

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.