How do prices develop in times of crisis, especially at the gas station? The Bundeskartellamt wants to take a particularly close look in the near future.
The Bundeskartellamt wants to keep a close eye on the development of fuel prices in the coming days and weeks. “We will continue to look very closely and provide information on how prices are developing and what will happen if the tax reduction ends on September 1st,” said the President of the competition authority, Andreas Mundt, on Tuesday at the presentation of the annual report.
Since March, the Cartel Office has intensified its monitoring of fuel prices at around 15,000 gas stations in Germany and has also initiated an investigation into the refinery and trading levels. “So far, little is known about what actually happens between the purchase of crude oil and the sale at the gas station,” said Mundt. The authority intends to present the first results of the investigation in the autumn.
Mundt emphasized that the high inflation has been a major burden for consumers since the spring. Companies should not use the crisis situation to increase their profits by violating antitrust laws. “We are therefore taking a close look: We will take consistent action against illegal agreements and abuse of market power.”
Source: Stern
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
