Overview
- Prices rose sharply at and around midday on Wednesday, July 1, with ADAC data showing national average jumps of roughly 18–20 cents within the 11:45–12:15 window.
- Many retailers had already raised pump prices or withheld normal post‑noon reductions before the rebate expired, a practice described in coverage as ‘pre‑pricing’ that magnified the spike.
- The 12:00 pricing rule allows only one daily price increase at noon while cuts remain allowed at any time, a mechanism that concentrated changes into a single large midday move.
- The Bundeskartellamt, the Monopolkommission and the Ifo Institute say the 16.7‑cent tax cut was not fully passed to motorists and have requested data or opened inquiries into possible unjustified markups.
- The Tankrabatt ran from 1 May to 30 June, cost the federal budget about €1.6 billion, and its uneven local pass‑through left drivers facing queues, frustration and isolated station spikes of up to about 30–35 cents per liter.