Fuel prices in Spain have risen again over the past week, according to the Boletín Petrolero de la Unión Europea — for the seventh week in a row. The average price per litre of Diesel was €1.828, 0.38% higher than the previous week; Benzin reached €1.705 per litre, an increase of 0.17%. Both prices are at levels last seen in April.
The series of price increases coincides with the end of the temporary reduction in IVA to 10% at the beginning of July. This special tax measure was not extended in the measures adopted on 29 June 2026 by the Consejo de Ministros . Since then, average prices paid by consumers have risen substantially overall: diesel has become more than 21.5% more expensive since early July, and petrol 18.5%, according to the EU oil bulletin. The bulletin collates prices reported at Spanish petrol stations each week, allowing trends in EU countries to be compared.
Market observers cite higher crude oil prices and the fiscal impact of returning to the standard VAT rate as the main reasons for the upward trend. Demand during the August holiday season is adding to the price pressure at the pumps, though it does not replace the tax and commodity price drivers. Since July, prices in Spain have risen somewhat more sharply than the European average, partly because of national tax components. In methodological terms, the Boletín Petrolero de la Unión Europea reports prices paid by consumers; regional differences between autonomous communities are smoothed out in the national averages.
For households and the transport sector, the latest increases mean significant extra costs over a short period. The latest government decisions do not indicate any immediate relief through new, across-the-board price support measures; changes elsewhere in energy taxes and charges could nevertheless affect prices at the pump. In its weekly overview, the European Commission regularly notes that exchange rate movements, commodity prices and national tax policies shape price differences within the EU.
The latest data refer to the week before 20 August 2026 and confirm the upward trend that has continued since the end of June. Further price movements will depend on oil prices, competition in the refining and petrol station sectors, and future fiscal policy decisions in Spain.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).