At the start, the fuel discount caused fuel prices to fall sharply in many places. Petrol and diesel suddenly became cheaper around midnight. By morning, things had fallen significantly further: at 8 a.m., the ADAC determined a nationwide average price of 2.062 euros for Super E10. That was 14.5 cents less than at the same time on Wednesday. Diesel cost an average of 2,209 euros at 8 a.m. - that was 15.2 cents less 24 hours earlier.
âThis meant that a large part of the tax relief of around 17 cents had already reached consumers in the morning,â is how the transport club assesses the current prices. The fuel price portal Tankerkönig also showed prices continuing to fall in the morning, although not at the same rate.
In many places, premium gasoline of the cheaper E10 variety was offered for less than 2 euros, as can be seen from the ADAC portal. However, there are regional differences here: there were many such offers in Munich, Stuttgart and Leipzig. In Berlin there were numerous, but in Hamburg and Cologne there were only a few or hardly any such offers. However, prices for the recently significantly more expensive diesel fuel generally remained well above two euros.
However, since the introduction of the 12 o'clock rule, the morning has been a comparatively better time to refuel. Prices often fall a little further in the late morning, but then rise sharply at midday - often by more than 20 cents per liter. The ADAC announced that it would keep an eye on prices at midday. The current development showed what dynamics exist in the fuel market and that there is scope for lower prices.
Since midnight, a tax reduction of 16.7 cents per liter has applied to gasoline and diesel leaving tank farms and refineries. How fully this will be passed on to consumers will become apparent in the next few days. There is no direct obligation for gas stations to lower prices. In addition, calculations are complex. However, the ADAC warned that the âprice reductions should not be recovered through subsequent increasesâ.
Prices had already fallen on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Wednesday, according to the ADAC, a liter of E10 cost 2.242 euros on a national daily average - that was 3.4 cents less than on Monday, while a liter of diesel cost 2.390 euros and was therefore 3.5 cents cheaper than on Monday.
The previous fuel discount was already controversial as to how completely it was passed on. Even then, there was already a significant decline in the middle of the night. Researchers at the Ifo Institute have already announced that they want to analyze the transfer in detail - as they did with the first fuel discount.
The federal government launched the fuel discount in response to the currently extremely high fuel prices. September was by far the most expensive month to refuel so far. This was even reflected in the inflation rate.
The measure is controversial. The chairman of the Monopolies Commission, Tomaso Duso, criticized the fact that ânothing was learnedâ from the last fuel discount. âEven back then, not all of the tax cut reached the pump. Nevertheless, the federal and state governments are again spending around 2.5 billion euros of tax money without the money going specifically to those who need it most. Anyone who fills up a lot of gas and drives a big car gets the most.â Instead of experimenting at the pump, the federal government should prepare direct payments to low-income households and small businesses.
When asked, the head of the Ifo Institute in Munich, Clemens Fuest, also said that the fuel discount was not the right answer. Among the frequent drivers with large cars who benefit are âmany who can afford the high prices and for whom it cannot be justified that burdens are redistributed in their favor.â
The oil industry contradicts the accusation that the discount is not being fully received. Proponents of the discount point out, among other things, that there is currently no better way to relieve the burden on drivers.
