The Bundeskartellamt has released its quarterly report from the Market Transparency Office for Fuels, highlighting notable price increases at gas stations due to the escalation of tensions in Iran. From February 28 to March 25, the price of E5/E10 fuel rose by approximately 27.8 cents per liter, with diesel prices increasing by about 51.4 cents during the same period.

A significant decoupling of wholesale diesel prices from crude oil prices was observed, particularly during the Iran crisis, where wholesale diesel prices surged about 25 cents above crude oil price increases. This decoupling was notably pronounced on March 19, with a single-day increase of 10 cents.

The report also discusses the delayed transmission of price changes from gas stations, where price hikes are often immediate while reductions are slower to implement. The authority is investigating whether these price increases are abusive under the new provisions of the German Competition Act.

Comparative analysis shows that Germany experienced some of the highest price increases at the onset of the crisis, with diesel prices rising significantly alongside other countries like Denmark and the Netherlands. However, other nations have since reported even higher increases.

The Bundeskartellamt is actively monitoring the fuel markets and has initiated procedures to examine price listings and potential abuses. New regulations will limit price increases to once daily at noon, with compliance to be monitored using real-time data.

Andreas Mundt, President of the Bundeskartellamt, emphasized that while the authority cannot mandate price reductions, it is tasked with protecting competitive structures and processes in the market.