According to an analysis released by Greenpeace in May, oil corporations in Germany have generated record “excess profits” from the sale of gasoline. The “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” reported that, on average, an additional €6.4 million flowed into the company coffers daily. This figure is a significant increase compared to the 4.9 million euros earned each day in April, and 4 million euros in March.
While the “excess profits” from diesel saw a decline compared to April, they remained high at a daily rate of €16.3 million. The study, commissioned by Greenpeace oil market expert Steffen Bukold, compared the current pricing situation to market conditions existing before the war in Iran.
Over the entire period from March to May 2026, the additional operational profit for both gasoline and diesel sales amounted to nearly 2.4 billion euros at gas stations, with the vast majority of these profits generated through diesel sales.
This situation is noteworthy against the backdrop of the tank discount currently in effect for two months, starting May 1st. The reduction in the energy tax has driven down gas prices by approximately 17 cents per liter.
Furthermore, an update on the German gas station market from April showed that even higher “excess profits” were recorded in the initial days of the ceasefire. Shortly after the commencement of the Iran war and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, gas prices soared to the highest level since 2022, the first year of the Ukraine war.
