DAccording to calculations by the Ifo Institute, contrary to criticism from politicians, the fuel discount has essentially been passed on to motorists. “In the case of diesel, the filling stations passed it on 100 percent, i.e. a tax reduction of 17 cents per liter. In the case of super petrol, it was 29 to 30 cents from the 35 cent tax reduction, i.e. 85 percent,” said the Munich economic researchers on Tuesday. However, the price development could change in the coming weeks. It remains to be seen whether the tax cut will be passed on to consumers in the long term. The Economics Ministry had accused the mineral oil companies of only passing on part of the reduced tax to consumers, around half. Economics Minister Robert Habeck spoke of a moral scandal and announced that antitrust law would be tightened.
“Despite passing it on to consumers, the tank discount does not make sense,” said Ifo President Clemens Fuest. “It benefits people with higher incomes and higher fuel expenses and not people with low incomes.” In addition, he sets the wrong incentives. Because he does not stop to consume less petrol and diesel. “For ecological reasons and to reduce dependence on Russia, the exact opposite would be necessary.”
For its calculations, the Ifo looked at the prices in Germany in comparison to the development in France before and after the introduction of the tank discount on June 1st. The scientists assumed that the petrol prices in Germany would have followed the same trend as the French petrol prices without the tank discount. In France, prices have also risen since then – albeit at a higher level – but taxes there have not changed as of June 1st.
