The Commission has analyzed initial data regarding the introduction of the fuel discount, concluding that while there was an initial delay, the tax reduction is now mostly being passed on to consumers, according to the advisory body on Tuesday.
Initially, in the first days following May 1st, the 16.7-cent tax cut was only partially reflected in prices. However, by the end of the first week, prices were approaching a full pass-through of the discount. The Commission noted that a comparison with Great Britain showed a similar pattern, suggesting that significant media and political pressure may have played a role in this development. It is important to remember, however, that these findings are preliminary, and a robust evaluation will only be possible after a longer observation period.
Additionally, the Commission pointed out that following the start of the Iran War at the end of February, fuel prices in Germany increased more sharply than those in France and Great Britain. This trend is consistent with structural competitive issues at the wholesale level within Germany. Furthermore, the near-full pass-through of the fuel discount does not contradict this, as the gas station segment of the value chain remains the most competitive, even despite high levels of market concentration.
