By Michael Sauerbier and Johannes Malinowski
At the end of the tank discount on Thursday, fuel prices sometimes rose to well over 2 euros per liter.
A rude awakening for motorists in Berlin and Brandenburg: right on time for the end of the tank discount, fuel prices literally exploded on Thursday!
A liter of Super E10 cost 2.04 euros on Thursday morning at the Potsdam Jet filling stations. On Wednesday evening, the US oil company had asked for 1.63 euros, on Monday only 1.56 euros. An increase of 48 cents!
Mandy Wolf (49), educator from Woltersdorf: “I depend on my car and I believe that the oil companies do not know how we are doing. We drivers must be relieved. That was very good in the last three months and also felt in the wallet.” Photo: Ralf Gunther
In Berlin, too, the prices for petrol and diesel jumped over the 2 euro mark. Consequence: The gas station customers stayed away for the time being. Anyone who still had to fill up grumbled in frustration: “That’s a rip-off!” Gas rage everywhere.
The price shock cannot be explained solely by the end of the three-month fuel price brake. The energy tax was reduced by 35 cents per liter for petrol and 17 cents per liter for diesel. But the premium since the beginning of the week has been higher.
Frank Schubert (62), mobile caretaker from Hellersdorf: “The prices are extremely high. I’m self-employed, so it gets really tough. I last filled up the day before yesterday. More than two euros is enormous. The tank filling for my Bulli costs 140 euros, two years ago it was half that. The tank discount was a small support, it should take longer” Photo: Ralf Gunther
The tank companies had bought the fuel at a discount price until Wednesday. They were therefore initially able to sell petrol and diesel more cheaply. But at the stroke of midnight, the handful of oil multinationals stepped on the price pedal at the same time.
As a reminder: After the start of the tank discount at the beginning of June, the oil multinationals only reduced their prices days later. Reason at the time: The expensively procured “old” fuel from May was still in the tanks.
Angelika Hänsgen (62), early retiree from Hellersdorf: “The prices are absolutely too expensive, you don’t know why. This is rip off. The corporations have earned enough and should turn a blind eye because the population has enough to pay. I like the tank discount. My driving behavior has changed now, I don’t drive as often anymore, but use public transport when I can.” Photo: Ralf Gunther
The BZ asked Shell, Total, Exxon and Avia about the reasons for the mysterious explosion in fuel prices. The corporate response: icy silence!
CDU social politician Dennis Radtke is therefore calling on the Chancellor to declare the tank rip-off a top priority! “Scholz must put an end to the robbery of the oil companies. Anyone who plunders the citizens must be held accountable with hefty fines. The Bundeskartellamt must finally show its teeth here,” said Radtke to the BZ
At the moment, many only have the option of moving to Poland. Beyond the border, a liter of E5 petrol cost from 6.48 zloty (1.37 euros). Even longer tank trips are worthwhile again. The nearest Poland petrol station is 70 kilometers from Berlin.
Creepy tank price history
This is how the prices looked on 01.06. (left) and just one day later on June 2nd. out Photo: Ralf Lutter
For three months, the BZ photographed the fuel prices at two petrol stations in Kreuzberg. Always in the morning, between the morning high and the evening low. The pictures prove the cheek of the oil companies (the gas station tenants can only watch).
This is how the fuel prices looked on 07.06. (left) and then on 26.08. out Photo: Ralf Lutter/Ralf Günther
Immediately after the start of the tank discount at the beginning of June, the prices rose again. Diesel was just below the 2 euro mark. The super price hit its low at the end of last week. But even before the end of the discount, the oil multinationals increased their profits – only to then really strike yesterday. In the evening, prices fell only slightly.
This is how the spit prices looked on 31.08. (l.) and on 01.09. out Photo: Ralf Lutter