Fuel Price Rule Violations: Esso Tops List in Analysis

Stuttgart – Thousands of violations of the rule requiring fuel price increases to occur only at 12 PM have been recorded nationwide since the regulation took effect on April 1, 2026. An analysis of data from the "mehr-tanken" app, operated by Auto Motor und Sport, a publication of Motor Presse Stuttgart, found that Esso stations were responsible for the vast majority of these breaches.

Thomas Ranki-Harloff, head of the digital editorial team at Auto Motor und Sport, stated that 2,772 violations were identified at Esso stations between April 1 and May 11, 2026. In comparison, the second highest number of violations was found at bft stations, with 1,479. Ranki-Harloff noted that the analysis included a buffer period of 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM to account for potential technical limitations.

Esso is part of the US oil company ExxonMobil, with its German operations primarily managed by EG Deutschland GmbH. A spokesperson for EG Deutschland declined to comment on pricing matters, stating, "We ask for your understanding that we generally do not provide information on pricing issues."

Ranki-Harloff commented that this situation indicates a lack of price transparency towards customers within the fuel industry, despite the existence of a market transparency office for fuels. He also pointed out that Aral, Germany's largest gas station brand, with only 24 violations during the period, also does not reveal details of its pricing strategies.

The analysis also addressed the limited benefit consumers received from the temporary tax reduction on gasoline and diesel. Ranki-Harloff explained that a significant factor was the substantial price increases implemented on April 30, 2026, the day before the tax relief began. Consequently, the price "reduction" on May 1 started from an already elevated level.