Diesel price, how much has the cost per liter increased since the start of the war in Iran?

FUELS, THE CHALLENGE OF DIESEL PRICE REMAINS

Italy has asked the EU to activate the energy safeguard clause. It seems that there will be the green light, but the funds will still not be able to be used for a particularly thorny issue: the price of fuel. Other solutions will need to be put in place, meanwhile the cost of diesel continues to rise, now that the last discount on excise duties, active - in various measures - since March, has ended. This was also discussed in the episode of Numeri, an in-depth analysis by Sky TG24, on 8 October.

THE INCREASE IN DIESEL

With the excise duty cut on diesel expiring earlier this week, the price immediately increased by six cents per litre. It means that a full tank at the petrol station now costs around three euros more.

DIESEL PRICES AT SELF SERVICE

The increase was passed on to consumers. Substantially all the large distribution companies increased the prices charged, even above the price ceilings that had been announced, because the initiatives - as Eni made clear for example - were still linked to government decisions. There was therefore an automatic adjustment to the increase in excise duties.

THE DISTRIBUTORS WITH THE LOWEST PRICES

The distributors who have maintained the prices prior to the increase in excise duties are more or less 2,400, i.e. a tenth of the total present in Italy.

AVERAGE DIESEL PRICES AT THE HIGHEST IN 2026

The cost of diesel is therefore rising again. The increase, compared to the month of March - when the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran began - is substantial: from 1.7 euros per liter it is now well above 2 euros per litre, with the latest peaks around 2.2-2.3 euros. Never so much since the beginning of 2026.

A NEW INTERVENTION?

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni promises that the government is ready to intervene again: the funds, she says, would be there. They amount to 160 million euros. However, it remains to be seen whether to invest them in fuel or something else.

Where do those funds come from? From the money that the State collects more than expected with the rise in prices, because VAT, another tax that affects the cost of petrol, brings more revenue into its coffers. The cost, as mentioned, is higher than that of March. The first time the excise duty discount was introduced it was 2.11 euros per litre. It is now 2.26 euros per litre.