The Monopoly Commission released initial data concerning the implementation of the fuel discount. The advisory body reported on Tuesday that the findings indicated the tax reduction has largely been passed on to consumers, despite facing initial delays.
During the first few days following May 1st, the 16.7 cent tax cut was initially passed on incompletely. However, the price pass-through rate approached full realization during the first week. The Commission noted that this pattern is similar to what was observed in Great Britain, suggesting that significant media and political pressure likely contributed to this change. Nevertheless, the figures provided are preliminary, and a comprehensive evaluation will only be possible using a prolonged observation period.
Furthermore, the Commission highlighted that after the Iran War began in late February, fuel prices in Germany rose more sharply compared to those in France and the United Kingdom. This trend is consistent with existing structural competition issues experienced at the German wholesale level. The widespread pass-through of the fuel discount does not conflict with these observations, as the retail gas station market remains the most competitive segment of the entire value chain, despite its high degree of concentration.