Gas Price Increase Questioned

A consumer group has denounced the latest increase in the cost of gas bottles as “disproportionate”, and has called on the government to modify the calculation formula so that consumers are not suffering.

In the last five months, the price of gas has increased, and in the last three, bi-monthly calculation, the increases in July, September and November add up to 15.4%, meaning that the price of a standard bottle of butane is over 15 euro, for the first time since March 2015, when it stood at 15.81 euro.

As of last week, a standard 12.5-kg cylinder will cost 15.33 euro (including 0.015 cents of hydrocarbon tax and 21% IVA), compared to 14.61 in September and 13.93 euro in July. The record price was 17.50 euro between 2013 and 2015, a time which also sparked an initial shortage as many consumers tried to purchase their bottles before the price increase.

In the first half of 2018, as temperatures started to rise, the cost of gas decreased, standing at 14.69 euro in January and 13.28 in May.

The FACUA consumer group is urging the government of Pedro Sanchez to modify the calculation instruments in the revision of rates to ensure the protection of the economic interests of consumers.

The group is also reminding the current government that the historically highest price of 17.50 euro was under the previous PP government, between May 14, 2013 and March 16, 2015 (a total of 672 days). Whereas the highest price during the socialist government prior to that was 15.19 euro, in force from October 1, 2011, and which the Rajoy government maintained until March 31, 2012.