ADAC calls for the abolition of the twelve o'clock rule for gas station prices

Due to the so-called twelve o'clock rule, gas stations have only been allowed to increase the prices for gasoline and diesel once a day since April 1st. You can reduce prices at any time. But that didn't make fuel cheaper, says the ADAC. The association is in favor of abolishing the rule. This significantly reduced the number of daily price changes and made the timing of the price increase more predictable. The ADAC said that this did not in any way reduce prices. “Rather, the price difference increased significantly within one day,” it said.

Instead of lower prices, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive time to refuel on a given day has increased.

“Anyone who has to refuel after 12 noon incurs significant additional costs that cannot be justified in any way,” said the ADAC. From the consumer's perspective, the rule did not achieve its goal. “That’s why it should be abolished,” said ADAC transport president Peter König.

Scientists support the ADAC criticism

The Leibniz Center for European Economic Research (ZEW) also wrote in an evaluation at the end of April that the one-off price increase actually led to higher average prices. "Prices are systematically increased during lunchtime and into the evening hours, while prices in the morning hours tend to fall below the daily average," it said at the time.

In view of the continued rise in fuel prices, the federal government is planning to provide relief for drivers with a refueling discount. Economists view this critically.

The ADAC, on the other hand, welcomes the temporary reduction in energy tax decided by the federal government. This is currently the realistic option to provide relief for drivers. It must be ensured that the tax cut is passed on as completely as possible at the pump, it said.

The ADAC wants to constructively accompany the announced fuel price cap: a state-set maximum price could protect against extreme price peaks in the short term. However, it does not automatically guarantee permanently lower prices. In particular, the specific amount and the calculation of the permissible price are crucial.

Cartel Office President appeals to oil companies

The President of the Federal Cartel Office, Andreas Mundt, has called on the oil companies to pass on the fuel discount to consumers. “We appeal to the oil industry to pass on the tax relief as completely and quickly as possible to drivers,” Mundt told the “Rheinische Post”. However, the Cartel Office “cannot enforce” an obligation for companies to pass on the tax cut in full.

The President of the Cartel Office announced that the authority would monitor the renewed reduction in energy taxes “closely with our market transparency office”. His authority's evaluations of the previous fuel discount showed "that the relief was largely received by consumers."

Mundt is skeptical about the fuel price cap announced by the federal government: “From a competition perspective, a government price cap is a much more complex intervention. The decisive factor will be how such a maximum price is determined and how the development of procurement and production costs is taken into account.