Dutch petrol prices are sitting just 0.2 euro cents off their record high. If recent increases continue, petrol could become more expensive than ever on Saturday, according to data from consumer platform UnitedConsumers.
Driven by ongoing disruption from the war in the Middle East, the recommended retail price for Euro95 unleaded rose by 1.4 cents on Friday to €2.728 per litre, following a rise of more than a cent on Thursday. The previous record high, set in late September, stands at €2.730 per litre.
Diesel also climbed by 0.7 cents on Friday to €2.732 per litre, though it remains further from its peak of €2.824 per litre recorded on 19 September.
UnitedConsumers monitors daily recommended prices from major oil companies to calculate a national average. These benchmark prices are typically charged at prime locations, such as motorway service stations, while fuel is often cheaper at off-motorway pumps.
Predicting price movements over the coming days remains difficult. Crude oil prices dipped slightly on Friday morning after US President Donald Trump stated that the United States would not launch attacks against Iran in the run-up to November’s midterm elections.
However, lower crude costs do not automatically lead to cheaper fuel at the forecourt. Netherlands regulator the Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) recently noted that forecourt prices are heavily influenced by the high refining margins oil companies are currently charging. Tanker freight costs have also risen sharply, while duty and taxes continue to account for the vast majority of the final price at the pump.
@anp | NEWS BRAINPORT
