Automated petrol stations are expanding all over Spain

This type of facility saves families and SMEs up to 320 euros per year in fuel

Catalonia, the Valencian Community and Madrid are the autonomous communities with the most automatic filling stations, which now have a total of more than 1,277 points across the country. Growth was particularly significant in 2020,
by gradually removing obstacles contrary to free competition in various autonomous communities, in accordance with the requirements of the European Union and the rulings of the National Market and Competition Commission (CNMC).

Despite its gradual implementation in Spain, its presence in our country is still far from countries such as Denmark or Finland, where vending machines exceed 60%.

According to the OCU, this type of facility saves families and SMEs up to €320 a year in fuel. According to the organisation’s research, which analyzed the prices of more than 10,000 petrol stations, BonÀrea, Plenoil, GM Oil, Campsa Express and Petroprix are the petrol stations with the cheapest prices, with differences of up to 8% compared to the most expensive petrol stations.

fuel prices The past year has been marked by factors such as the war in Ukraine, the government’s subsidy of 20 cents per liter to compensate for the price increases and the sanctions imposed by the European Union, which will affect diesel, which is one of the items that are not allowed to be imported from the Member States from Russia.

It comes into effect on February 5.
the ban of the countries of Europe to import diesel. This ban has provoked the reaction of the two major oil companies operating in Spain, as is the case with Repsol and Cepsa, who, through their presidents, conveyed to the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, the warnings about what could happen to the prices of this oil. fuel used by many citizens, especially important among carriers or public transport professionals.

Sources from both companies assured that Spain will not have any supply problems, but we will have to wait and see how this move against Russia will affect the future price of diesel, especially in a country where 70% of vehicles use this gas.

In this context,
Ballenoil will open 30 new filling stations in 2022 and more than 300 employees to manage the 194 service stations the company has in Spain. Among the openings, the arrival in new provinces such as Murcia, Burgos, Ourense and Álava stands out, which have strengthened competition in these regions.

Due to this expansion, Ballenoil has experienced a growth in the number of employees. This increase is due to the new filling stations and the expansion of the internal structure with the improvement of telematic customer service.

The goal for 2023 is
invest about 15 million euros to open some 30 new stations. In addition, it has more than 85 projects throughout Spain that will be developed in the coming years, including the introduction of the brand in new provinces.

Only the three major companies in this sector, Petroprix, Ballenoil and Plenoil, sold in total in 2021
more than a billion litres petrol and diesel, with a discount of between 10 and 15 euro cents compared to the average prices of other carriers. The combined turnover of these companies exceeded one billion euros.

Refueling at an established brand gas station instead of a vending machine, low-cost or “low-cost” can mean an extra expense of up to twenty cents per litre. An important difference whose origin
it is not in the raw material, but in the additives that the big oil companies decide to add to increase performance. The fuel known as “low-cost” maintains a series of minimum properties (required at national and European level) that guarantee its quality.

Each oil company has its own formula that sets them apart from the rest. The added compounds that contain the most expensive gasoline, as well as their share, the brands keep them in the strictest secrecy.

Other differences have to do with the lower cost of “low-cost” gas stations, which
have fewer employees And they don’t have to advertise. Similarly, a large portion of the “cheap” gas stations are associated with supermarkets, so their low price is a lure for the customer to come after making the purchase at their facilities, offering a higher profit margin. .

Source: La Verdad

Mary

I am Mary Fitzgerald, a professional journalist and author of the Today Times Live. My specialty is in writing and reporting on technology-related topics. I have spent the last seven years extensively researching and understanding the field of technology so I can properly inform my readers about developments in this ever-evolving world.