Federal Cartel Office investigates petrol stations on motorways
Almost out of gas in the tank? Drivers have no choice but to go to the nearest petrol station. On the motorway, this can be a problem due to the heavy Fuel prices However, this can be very expensive. Many people therefore have a plan B: take the next exit and hope for gas pumps nearby.
With a bit of luck, you can save a lot of money. This is also because, according to the Federal Cartel Office, petrol stations on highways are becoming increasingly expensive. New findings show that the price gap between motorway and other petrol stations is growing.
Fuel prices at motorway filling stations over 40 cents higher
The price increases have “increased significantly again in recent weeks,” said Federal Cartel Office President Andreas Mundt. “At the moment, you pay over 40 cents more per liter for petrol and diesel on the motorway.” The price difference has recently widened significantly, especially for diesel. While it was still around 36 cents per liter in the first quarter, it was recently around 41 cents. For premium E5 petrol, it was still around 39 cents in the spring, but it is now almost 42 cents.
Cartel Office recommends fuel apps
The Federal Cartel Office advises consumers to avoid motorway petrol stations and Tank apps to use. The ADAC recently made a similar statement based on its own, albeit much smaller, sample. According to the Federal Cartel Office, however, the price differences between the federal states have declined somewhat. On June 30, 2024, there was a difference of 6 cents between the most expensive and cheapest federal states for diesel. For gasoline, the difference was 5 cents.
Russia also plays a role
Some eastern German states are still among the more expensive regions, it was said. But where do the differences come from? The Federal Cartel Office’s answer: Eastern federal states are more affected by the embargo on Russian oil. In addition, the PCK and Leuna refineries are apparently not yet able to be used to 100 percent capacity. Imports of finished fuels from Russia, which traditionally played a larger role in the east, have also fallen away. (With material from dpa)
