Soaring prices and delinquency in the fuel

A significant rise in prices, reduction of the consumptions, exacerbation of delinquency and the smuggling of and total absence of…
checks is the image that shows the domestic fuel market after the new increase of excise tax on gasoline and on diesel fuel from 1 January in accordance with the Daily
The state is passive, despite the alarming messages coming from the players in the market. It is indicative that controls the Directorate of Metrology of the ministry of Economy last June showed that one in three service stations in Attica steal the pump.
The delinquency to the pump was certified by two further surveys of the NTUA. The first in Attica, showed that 14.5% of the stations deliver desired quantities of fuel and the second in Thessaloniki, Magnesia and Achaia, that is the 10,83% of the petrol stations stealing at the pump of up to 10% of the amount paid by the consumer.
In fact, as he explains in “K”, the vice president of ΣΕΕΠΕ Roberto Καραχάννας, the percentage is much larger and can reach up to 30% of the total sales in the market.
“The consumer is reasonable looking to find the cheapest price. Stations who steal the pump have the ability to subsidize prices, to keep them so low, with the result that a throughput of large quantities of fuel. The percentage can be as high as 30%. An average service station sells about 900,000 liters of fuel per year, while those with tweaked pumps –due to low prices– they sell 5 million. litres,” explains mr Καραχάννας. As to the spate of smuggling, mr. Καραχάννας stresses: “it Is reasonable from the moment that the state in the absence of controls created and the incentive for smuggling by raising taxes”, while it points out the striking absence of controls by the competent authorities as well as the fact that it doesn’t work the system input-output, cost to companies and petrol station owners, over 100 million. euro.
“I don’t have anything to do with the petrol station owners. Through the stations we sell our products, we’re partners,” stresses mr Καραχάννας, commenting on the attacks of the industry to the ΣΕΕΠΕ on the occasion of the publication of research on delinquency in the pumps.
“We want to publicize the problem in the state, to accept it all together and find a solution. Are lost every year public income 300 million. euro. This money is like they are on the table and we refuse to go get it. The role of the Association is to highlight the issue in order to protect the consumer, we are neither prosecutors nor police, and the state expect to play the role,” says the “K.” the president of the Association John Αληγιζάκης.
The estimates for strengthening of smuggling shall be certified to a large extent by the significant reduction of margin of profit (company, carrier, and service station) in the diesel fuel as heating oil in a year’s time. From the 22/1/2016 up to the 20/1/17 this margin decreased from 15% to 9% (-20%) in diesel fuel and heating from 14% to 8% (-16%). “When with margins of 15% close petrol stations and companies, the only way to survive with 9% and 8% is smuggling”, report of market factors. In the meantime the prices from last January have increased by 17% on gasoline and Greece has the second most expensive price among the countries of the european union.E., while the price of diesel has increased by 33% and heating by 42%.
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