Overview
- The two‑month 17‑cent energy tax relief ended on 1 July 2026, and most major brands immediately reinstated the full tax, pushing national average petrol and diesel prices back above €2 per litre.
- Data from fuel‑price apps show typical pass‑through of roughly 16.7–21 cents per litre, with some retailers such as Esso applying larger mark‑ups in the first days after the rebate ended.
- Drivers are already changing behaviour: surveys find many will alter or cancel travel plans and users are turning to price‑comparison apps, cheaper E10 fuel, and cross‑border refuelling to save money.
- Economists warn a nationwide price cap could reduce competition or risk supply gaps and instead recommend upstream measures or targeted, income‑linked relief for the most affected households.
- Approved tank‑apps draw on the Market Transparency Office for Fuels (MTS‑K) data, which lets consumers compare local prices quickly and judge whether an off‑route fill-up is worth the extra drive.