The Federal Cartel Office has reported identifying a substantial number of violations concerning the rule that limits gas stations to increasing prices only once a day, specifically at noon. While the head of the authority, Andreas Mundt, noted that many apparent infractions seemed initially to be minor technical errors, he also pointed out instances of more significant deviations. However, the enforcement of such violations has so far been hindered because most federal states have not yet designated the specific authorities responsible for penalizing these breaches.
Mundt expressed skepticism regarding a recent study published by the ZEW Economic Research Institute. This study suggested that the noon price regulation did not lead to declining prices but instead caused corporate profit margins to increase. He added a caveat, noting that the analysis only examined prices and omitted crucial data on quantities-meaning they did not know how many cars filled up at what price point. Mundt concluded that it was entirely possible that many drivers benefited from the new regulation by refueling at advantageous times.
Given the considerable price discrepancies found across different gas stations, the highest competition monitor recommends that all motorists use an app to compare prices. Furthermore, instead of refueling in the evening as was traditionally done, drivers should aim to visit stations in the morning, before noon. According to Mundt, “the old rules of thumb no longer apply”.