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ACM’s Monitor on fuel prices: significant savings possible when choosing a gas station

Summary

  • Drivers are able to save a lot on gasoline and diesel when choosing a gas station.
  • In many cases, the difference can be as high as approximately 25 eurocents per liter. For a full tank, this is about 12.50 euros.
  • Unmanned stations without a store in particular, which are usually not located along highways, often offer the lowest prices.

Drivers are able to save significantly on gasoline and diesel when choosing a gas station. In many cases, the difference can be as high as approximately 25 eurocents per liter. For a full tank, that is about 12.50 euros. This has been revealed by an addition to the Monitor on fuel prices of the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM). Martijn Snoep, Chair of the Board of ACM, explains: “The monitor shows that unmanned stations without a store in particular, which are usually not located along highways, often offer the lowest prices. Consumers that are willing to drive a little farther or choose an unmanned station are able to save significantly.”

Saving is also possible at similar stations within the same city

The type of station is not the only factor that makes a difference. Prices can also vary significantly between similar stations within the same town or city. The monitor shows that, in the Netherlands, for about ten percent of stations with a store, an alternative station can be found in the same city, where you can save more than five euros on a full tank.

Margins for refineries remain high

In its expanded monitor, ACM looks at the entire production of Dutch refineries. This includes not only gasoline, diesel, and kerosine, but also products such as fuel oil (fuel for ships and industries) and naphtha (a raw material for plastic). The indicative profit margin for the entire production at the refinery level is higher than before the war in Iran. This suggests that, since the war in Iran, refineries have, on average, earned more from diesel, gasoline, and kerosine, as well as from other refined products. Moreover, the monitor shows that wholesale prices for diesel and kerosine had already begun to rise before the recent closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the increase of oil prices. This reinforces the earlier findings that wholesale prices do not follow the crude-oil prices one-to-one.

Price breakdowns at a single glance

The monitor also shows how prices for gasoline and diesel at the pump are broken down, split by the various links in the supply chain. This shows that businesses in the first links of the chain (oil production and refining) have accounted for a larger share of total profits since the price increases. This confirms the earlier picture that higher fuel prices have mainly led to additional profits for oil producers and refineries.

The above trend graphs show all the components of the prices for gasoline (see the graph titled ‘Prijsopbouw benzine’) and diesel (see the graph titled ‘Prijsopbouw diesel’) that consumers pay at the pump. The graphs show the trends in the oil price (in both graphs in Dutch: ruwe olie), the indicative margins of refineries (in both graphs in Dutch: opslag raffinage), the costs of emission reduction units (in both graphs in Dutch: emissiereductie-eenheden), excise taxes (in both graphs in Dutch: accijnzen), VAT (in both graphs in Dutch: BTW), and the indicative margins of gas stations (in both graphs in Dutch: opslag tankstations). The data is on the basis of spot prices of Brent oil, diesel, and gasoline on the wholesale market, the price of emission reduction units, and the average price at the pump. In the graphs, a vertical line indicates the start of the conflict in the Middle East (February 28, 2026).

Comparing pays off

ACM recommends consumers to compare prices, for example along their route to work, in the area of where they live, or along their vacation route. Those that consciously choose a different type of station or an alternative in the same city is able to save dozens of euros per month.

Addition to the Monitor on fuel prices

The Monitor on fuel prices provides insight into the price trends for three links in the fuel chain: production, refinery, and the retail market. Since July 20, the monitor has been expanded with data on price differences in the Netherlands between types of stations: unmanned, along highways, and gas stations with a store. The monitor also shows the potential savings per fill-up within cities and within four-digit ZIP code areas. The data in the monitor has been updated through July 13, 2026.

For the entire Monitor on fuel prices, visit this page (in Dutch).

See also