A record $8.09 statewide diesel average in California is raising concerns that shoppers could feel the increase in everything from grocery bills to the cost of online orders and mailed packages.
The effect reaches well beyond the pump because freight and delivery systems rely heavily on diesel.
Here's what to know
AAA data cited by ABC7 showed California's diesel average rising by more than 10 cents in a single day. The national average remained above $6 per gallon.
The station said the war with Iran has disrupted the global flow of fuel, contributing to broader increases that also pushed regular gas to about $6 in Los Angeles and Orange counties and to just under $6 in Riverside County.
Some businesses are already passing some of those higher costs on to consumers through added fees on online orders and mailed packages, ABC7 reported.
More background
Fresh foods may be among the earliest places shoppers notice the pressure. ABC7 noted that meat, produce, and other perishable items need frequent hauling and restocking, and some are harvested with farm equipment that runs on diesel.
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As a result, fuel costs can build at several points in the supply chain before those products reach stores. The outlet reported that those increases can take time to show up for consumers, even though diesel prices don't seem likely to ease.
Alyssa Barnes, a store clerk at a Southern California gas station, has noticed a change with customers.
"All they have money for is filling up," she told ABC7. "They have to get, like, cash advances and stuff for food. It's rough."
What's being done?
The biggest thing consumers can do is try to avoid the highest-priced foods most affected by elevated diesel prices.
Seeking out deals at the store, looking for locally supplied produce and meat, and maximizing perishable foods are important money-saving moves.
Leveraging the freezer is another way to extend the life of these particular foods. Otherwise, households can only hope disruptions to fuel markets subside. Still, ABC7 cautioned that higher diesel prices don't seem to be easing any time soon.
Where can I learn more?
California's diesel spike is part of a much bigger energy story. Fossil fuels can affect local communities in ways beyond higher prices.
• In communities near oil and gas sites, premature deaths and asthma remain serious risks.
• New climate accounting shows LNG can be worse than coal for carbon pollution.
• In West Virginia, coal plants have burdened ratepayers with decades of extra costs.
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