Spritpreise: Freie Tankstellen fordern Ende der 12-Uhr-Regel

Free petrol stations are calling for an end to the 12 o'clock rule. According to a survey conducted by industry association bft, nearly two-thirds of respondents favored a complete abolition of the rule, while another seventh wanted a fundamental revision, as reported by the association. The survey involved 132 companies with over 850 petrol stations, representing roughly a quarter of the association's members.

Nationwide, there are about 14,000 petrol stations, most belonging to major oil companies. bft Managing Director Carsten Müller explained that the rule creates artificial peaks and troughs in demand instead of improving competition. The ADAC, a consumer organization, believes the rule acts more like price encouragement, leading to risk premiums from oil companies.

Several economists have echoed similar sentiments. In early August, CSU leader Markus Söder also questioned the rule's effectiveness in an ARD Summer interview. It's unclear if the rule works at all, let alone has a significant impact. Many petrol station owners also report implementation issues. Only 45.5% of respondents can fully automate the price increase at all stations exactly at 12 PM, according to bft Managing Director Daniel Kaddik.

Nearly two-thirds reported temporal discrepancies between systems. Around one-eighth of the companies surveyed have already been contacted by authorities due to discrepancies, totaling at least 423 reported incidents. Kaddik criticized the fines, noting that being penalized for a technical error of two or three minutes is disproportionate.

While the Federal Cartel Office has reported an increase in discrepancies recently, enforcement is handled by state authorities. Some states, like Schleswig-Holstein, have already investigated over 21,000 potential violations.