• The President of UOKiK checks how petrol stations have responded to the reduction of excise duty by the government.
• From the beginning of December to mid-January, fuel prices fell by approximately PLN 0.20.
• The current situation is being monitored, including the changes caused by the increase in fuel prices on world markets.
• The analysis will be continued by UOKiK and the Trade Inspection after the reduction of VAT on fuels.

The fuel market is under constant monitoring by the President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection. The quality of petrol, diesel fuel and gas has been tested for many years. The latest measures also concern fuel prices.

 - Following the government's reduction of excise duty on fuel, I have instructed the Trade Inspection to check the prices at petrol stations. According to the results of the analysis, fuel prices decreased during the monitoring period. At the end of December and in the first half of January, consumers paid over PLN 0.20 less per litre than the previous month which made it possible to save even more than a dozen PLN during a single refuelling. We are continuing our activities and we will be checking the prices after the reduction of VAT on fuels by the government soon - says Tomasz Chróstny, the President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection.

The first stage of the observation ran from 9 December 2021 until 20 January 2022. At the request of the President of UOKiK, the Trade Inspection checked 1021 petrol stations. The prices were checked twice a week. According to the results obtained during the first period of the analysis, the prices of fuel got reduced. After 20 December, that is, after the entry of the excise duty reduction into force, the median price of a litre of diesel fuel fell by PLN 0.20 (from PLN 5.99 on 16 December to PLN 5.79 on 21 December), and in the case of Pb 95 petrol, the reductions were even greater - from PLN 5.98 per litre to PLN 5.75.  Then, the prices stayed at this level or declined slightly further. LPG prices also started to fall at the end of December. The median dropped from PLN 3.36/litre on 16 December to PLN 3.21/litre on 21 December and continued to fall, reaching PLN 3.13/litre on 13 January. 

The first stage of monitoring shows that the inspected petrol stations have responded positively to the change in excise duty. A large majority of petrol stations (including large chains) lowered their prices immediately, and a few smaller petrol stations did so with a slight delay.

- The monitoring of fuel prices continues. We are carefully analysing the increases in fuel prices that have been observed for several days, which are the result of the highest prices of a barrel of Brent crude oil in years. Drops of the prices on the stock exchanges are currently noticed, which may soon translate into lower prices at petrol stations. Please also be reminded that drivers should pay less soon, following the government's reduction of VAT on fuel which is planned for 1 February 2022. We will continue to monitor the situation and check the response of petrol stations and whether the prices are lowered accordingly - says Tomasz Chróstny, the President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection.

At the same time, the Trade Inspection checks the quality of fuels. Such inspections are performed in a twin-track approach. Firstly, the President of UOKiK randomly selects petrol stations to be checked by the relevant local Trade Inspection. Secondly, the Trade Inspection checks businesses against which there have been complaints or information from law enforcement authorities, or in which it had previously found irregularities.

Additional information for the media:

UOKiK Press Office
Pl. Powstańców Warszawy 1, 00-950 Warszawa, Poland
Phone +48 695 902 088, +48 22 55 60 246
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