The price of diesel in Germany is higher than ever before. On a nationwide daily average, a liter cost 2.327 euros on Wednesday, exceeding the old record from March 2022 by 0.6 cents, according to ADAC data. The number is not adjusted for inflation.
The consumer advice centers don’t see any for the time being
decisive price reduction through the new regulation that gas stations are now only allowed to increase prices once a day at 12 p.m.
Price jump at 12 p.m
The head of the federal association, Ramona Pop, told the dpa news agency: “It currently doesn’t look like the new rule will really make refueling cheaper.” It is becoming apparent that the Prices jump up at 12pm and then ease throughout the day and the next morning.
In response to the sharp rise in prices for diesel and gasoline as a result of the Iran war, the black-red coalition set the new price rule for gas stations. It applies from Wednesday. In many places, providers responded on the first day with sharp midday price increases.
Violations are punished with fines
With the new rule, oil companies are only allowed to increase fuel prices at gas stations once a day at 12 noon. Price reductions are allowed around the clock. Violations of the ban on repeated price increases can be punished with a fine of up to 100,000 euros.
The black-red coalition hopes that the change based on the Austrian model will provide more reliability through fewer price increases. “The experience from our neighboring country shows that shortly after the introduction, fuel prices in Austria temporarily fell, but quickly returned to the usual level,” said Pop.
Reiche rejects tax on war-related profits of oil companies
The black-red coalition is currently considering further steps. Last Friday, various options were mentioned: temporary relief via the commuter allowance, relief via vehicle tax data, a temporary reduction in energy tax and a reduction in electricity tax for everyone. It is also about a fuel price cap and the introduction of an excess profits tax – a kind of extra tax for war-related profits of oil companies.
Federal Economics Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) rejected the latter: “I don’t think anything of it,” she said World. “To tell companies in general that they are no longer allowed to make profits would not only be a massive mistrust, but would be the opposite of a social market economy.”