Fuel prices at German gas stations have risen sharply after a refill discount expired. Both Super E10 and diesel cost a national average of over two euros per liter at midday.
On the first day after the end of the fuel discount, prices for gasoline and diesel fuel at gas stations increased sharply. According to ADAC analysis, a liter of Super E10 during the lunch hour is from 11:45 to 12:15. increased in price on average across the country by 18.2 cents to 2.15 euros. For diesel fuel, the premium for the same period ranged from 20.4 cents to 2.11 euros per liter.
Price jump yesterday
Oil companies had already raised prices significantly on Tuesday, the final day of fuel discounts through tax cuts. The premiums were even higher than today: 20.3 cents for Super E10 and 24.0 cents for diesel. Gasoline then cost an average of 2,033 euros per liter, and diesel fuel – 1,990 euros. Over the next 24 hours, prices fell only slightly at times: 6.5 cents for gasoline and 8.4 cents for diesel.
The 16.7 cents per liter fuel tax credit expired at midnight. At the time, gas stations couldn’t raise prices because of the 12-hour rule. Many appear to have resolved this dilemma by not cutting prices quickly and sharply, as usual after Tuesday’s big midday spike, but only slightly. The price increase was ultimately due to the lack of price reduction.
ADAC criticizes the unreasonableness of eliminating the fuel discount. This approach is questionable “since many places still have cheaper, taxed fuel in their tanks at gas stations.” Therefore, prices should not have risen so much on the last day of June.
Criticism also from outside Monopoly Commission
The chairman of the Monopolies Commission, Tomaso Duso, also criticized the fact that prices had risen too early. “The fuel discount is history as of tonight, but its end has long since been factored in at gas stations.” In the past few days, oil companies have apparently been using the foreseeable bond expiration to deliberately boost their profits, the economist said. “In the last few days the discount has only been between 7 and 11 cents per liter depending on the fuel, although mathematically the discount should be around 17 cents.”
Consumers no longer received more than half the discount. “This is alarming from a competition policy perspective,” Duzo said. Since it is not the purchase at the gas station that is decisive for the tax, but the delivery to the gas station, after the actual refusal one would indeed expect a gradual increase in prices. “Instead, prices had risen sharply in the days leading up to this.”
About two weeks ago, the Monopolies Commission criticized the fact that the fuel discount was not being fully extended. Associations of petrol stations and oil companies dispute this assessment, but the Munich Ifo Institute and the Federal Cartel Office have reached a similar assessment.
The price increase exceeds the amount of the fuel discount
According to ADAC, fuel prices increased daily during the last week of the fuel discount. The price of crude oil was trending downward during this time. Now prices should not rise further, the transport club demands. Companies have already canceled the fuel discount ahead of schedule. “Therefore, further price increases will no longer be justified.”
The two-day price increase overall was significantly greater than the 17-cent fuel discount. The full picture of price increases will only be available on Thursday, when the average daily price for today’s Wednesday will be determined. The average daily price on Tuesday was already significantly higher than the previous day: by 6.2 cents for gasoline and by 7.5 cents for diesel fuel.
data ORD confirm this development – at least for a diesel engine. Today at 14:00 buyers paid an average of 1.93 euros per liter. – an increase of 18 cents compared to the beginning of the week. A liter of E10 cost €1.98 per litre, 14 cents more than on Monday. This does it SWR-Data analysis of all fuel prices at approximately 15,000 German gas stations.
Just a few cheap deals on Wednesday mornings.
Drivers who had hoped the fuel discount would only end this afternoon were disappointed. In the morning there were only a few gas stations with prices below 1.80 euros – especially for diesel fuel. With rising prices, these offers have practically disappeared.
The fuel discount was valid from May 1 to June 30. In previous estimates, the state assumed that the tax revenue shortfall would be around 1.6 billion euros. The fuel discount was still in effect in June. Combined with a new drop in oil prices, this made the month the cheapest fuel since the war began in Iran.
According to ADAC, a liter of Super E10 cost an average of €1,870 in June. That was 11.3 cents less than May and 23.9 cents less than April, the most expensive month to date. A liter of diesel fuel cost an average of 1,818 euros per month. That was 17.3 cents less than May and 44.5 cents less than the particularly expensive April.