German Competition Authority Investigates Fuel Wholesale Market for Structural Issues

The Bundeskartellamt is using a new legal tool to examine potential disruptions in competition linked to pricing systems in the fuel sector.

The Bundeskartellamt has launched an investigation into potential structural disruptions in the German fuel wholesale market, following findings from a February sector study.
This is the first time the authority is utilizing a legal mechanism introduced in 2023, which allows action against structural market issues without evidence of direct violations by specific companies.
The investigation focuses on the role of preisinformationsdienste (pricing information services), which aggregate and distribute detailed market data to industry participants, raising concerns about collusion risks.
Two major pricing service providers, Argus Media and S&P Global, are under scrutiny for their influence on price-setting and the potential for manipulated or incomplete data reporting.
The authority aims to determine if significant, ongoing competition disruptions exist and, if confirmed, plans to implement measures to restore market competitiveness.