Gas station owners expect small, new increases in fuel prices in the near future, with estimates pointing to a rise of about 2–3 cents per liter. At the same time, high prices are putting pressure not only on consumers but also on the businesses themselves, due to increased liquidity needs.
Speaking on the Alpha Kalimera program, Christodoulos Christodoulou, spokesperson for gas station owners, stated that, based on industry estimates, the price hikes do not appear to be over yet. “Based on our own estimates as gas station owners, we believe there will still be small increases, not large ones. Two to three cents per liter,” he said, while expressing hope that the increases would be limited to these levels.
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The significant price variations observed from station to station are linked, according to him, to the differing operating costs of each business. When asked whether a particularly high price could constitute profiteering, he answered in the negative, noting that “every gas station owner, every business, operates according to its own operating costs.” As he explained, gas stations in remote areas or businesses with higher operating costs may set their final selling price accordingly.
Mr. Christodoulou also clarified that there is no upper limit on the price a gas station can charge. “Pricing is unregulated, as it is for all products. You can set the price however you see fit,” he said, emphasizing, however, that the market and competition act as limiting factors in practice.
According to the Spokesperson for Gas Station Owners, even those who choose to sell fuel at lower prices face pressure, as they are limiting their profit margins. The biggest problem right now concerns business liquidity, as the cost of purchasing a shipment of fuel has risen significantly. “We used to buy a shipment for 40,000 euros, and now it costs 65,000. When you don’t have that kind of money, it means you can’t run your business, or you have to turn to the bank or the company,” he said.
Regarding the possibility of a price correction, Mr. Christodoulou noted that a temporary drop in international prices for two or three days isn’t enough to immediately affect prices at gas stations. As he explained, “for the price to change, the trend must persist for at least seven to eight days, or even ten days,” reiterating that, based on current data, gas station owners continue to expect small additional increases.
