Germany's so-called fuel discount is not being fully passed on to customers, according to an assessment by ADAC, the country's largest automobile club. Compared to last Thursday, fuel prices were recently around 11 cents lower, but the reduced energy tax that took effect on Friday should result in a relief of 16.7 cents per liter, ADAC announced on Monday. The development of crude oil prices cannot explain this discrepancy either.
Because crude oil prices are currently lower than they were on April 30, prices at gas stations should actually be falling more than the amount of the energy tax reduction, ADAC explained. However, over the past few days, prices for diesel and gasoline at the pumps have tended to rise. Additionally, fuel prices were sometimes drastically increased on Thursday, just before the fuel discount took effect.
According to calculations by the Federal Cartel Office, fuel prices fell by an average of just under 13 cents after the fuel discount came into force on May 1. Since then, they have risen slightly again, the authority reported. On Sunday, diesel cost an average of 2.105 euros and gasoline (E10) 2.018 euros per liter for the day.
Cartel Office President Andreas Mundt once again called on oil companies to pass on the tax reduction. The fuel discount "is intended to provide relief to consumers and the economy during a difficult phase," he stated. "The oil companies are at best trustees of this relief; it is not intended for them."
However, the authority had to accept a court defeat just last week. The Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court stopped an investigation into the fuel wholesale market that was initiated last spring. The Cartel Office wanted to investigate indications of systemic problems affecting fuel prices in Germany.
Specifically, it concerns the two most important companies that provide price information about the fuel market in Germany and thus significantly influence the price level: Argus Media and S&P Global. The cartel watchdogs fear that companies do not report all prices to these two providers and thus influence price-setting, and wanted to examine them more closely. However, they successfully defended themselves against this.
Cartel Office chief Mundt sharply criticized this. "We are very surprised by this court decision and have already filed an appeal with the Federal Court of Justice," he stated last Thursday. "We must clarify the role of the price information services. Without the information from precisely these companies, we cannot continue the proceedings. This delay is very regrettable."
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