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ARCHIVED - Low cost petrol stations in high demand in Spain
One in eight service stations in Spain is now fully automated
Soaring oil prices around the globe have led to a huge increase in the cost of petrol and diesel in Spain, triggering a surge of new, low-cost gas stations. The trend towards lesser-known but much cheaper fuel brands has actually been comparatively slow in this country, but the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the demand for automatic gas stations, which now account for more than one in eight on average. In fact, in communities such as Valencia and Catalonia, they make up one in five, and low-cost company Ballenoil announced that it will be opening up five low-cost filling stations in Murcia in the coming months.
Covid has undoubtedly led to a change in the habits of consumers, with people preferring not to have direct contact with cashiers. This has triggered the rise of the unmanned gas stations, where customers can pay by card and fill their own car. In the last year, the cost of petrol in Spain has increased by 20% while diesel is up 30%, and low-cost service stations are cashing in.
According to figures released by the Organisation of Consumers and Users (OCU), the price difference between the cheapest and most expensive, brand name petrol stations is as much as 20%, and manufacturers insist that the only disparity in the fuel provided by low-cost service stations and the traditional ones is the additives.
According to Jose Manuel Costa, founder of low-cost filling station chain Gas Express, there used to be an urban myth that more expensive petrol and diesel was of a superior quality; now that this has been debunked, customers are most concerned about savings and unbranded fuel is taking Spain by storm. The Valencia-based company plans to open ten more gas stations this year and 15 in 2022, bringing its total to over 100 in the region.
Despite the high demand, Spain continues to lag behind much of Europe, with only 12.5% of all filling stations being of the automated variety. This is in direct contrast with the likes of Sweden (60%) and Denmark (70%), according to employers association Aesae.
Image: Archive
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