Drivers across Catalonia are facing a sharp and sudden rise in fuel prices, a direct consequence of escalating tensions in the Middle East, a regional industry group has warned. The Catalan gas station association, Agrucaes, reported that prices at the pump have surged in recent days, with diesel climbing by as much as 20% and petrol by 16% in just four days since last weekend.
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This rapid increase has prompted a wave of anticipatory buying, with consumers rushing to fill their tanks before costs climb even higher. According to Albert Campabadal, the president of Agrucaes, the price hikes have been incremental but persistent since Sunday, with further rises expected.
Geopolitical Tensions Spill Over to the Pump
The primary driver for the sudden spike is Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global energy supplies. The move is reportedly in retaliation for recent attacks attributed to the United States and Israel, part of a wider and increasingly volatile regional conflict. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through the strait, making its closure a significant threat to global energy stability.
The disruption has sent immediate shockwaves through international oil markets, and consumers in Barcelona and beyond are now feeling the effects. The situation underscores the vulnerability of European energy prices to geopolitical instability in the Middle East.
The Cost for Catalan Drivers
Official data corroborates the trend reported by Agrucaes. Figures from Spain’s Ministry for the Ecological Transition show a significant weekly increase. As of Wednesday, the price of 95-octane petrol in Catalonia had climbed to an average of €1.56 per litre, a 5.26% rise in one week.
The increase was even more pronounced for diesel, which reached €1.544 per litre, marking an 8.12% jump from the previous Wednesday. These increases in Catalonia are slightly ahead of the national average, which saw petrol rise by 5% to €1.55 per litre and diesel by 7.6% to €1.541. Across the European Union, the average price for petrol hit €1.664 per litre on Monday, reaching its highest level in twelve months, according to the latest Weekly Oil Bulletin from the European Commission.
A Muted Echo of the Ukraine Crisis
Despite the sharp increases, Agrucaes president Albert Campabadal provided some perspective, suggesting the situation is far less severe than the energy crisis that followed the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. He explained that Spain and Europe’s dependence on Russian energy at that time was substantially higher.
“Right now, there is much greater diversification of supply, and what we receive from the Persian Gulf accounts for between 10% and 20%, so the impact is smaller than it was then,” Campabadal stated, in comments originally reported by Catalan News.
However, immediate financial pressure is undeniable. This latest price shock adds to the strain on already stretched household budgets. A recent report highlighted that Catalan homes spend nearly 44% of their income on basic bills, a figure that rising transport costs will only exacerbate. Looking ahead, Agrucaes offers a sliver of optimism, predicting that the pace of price increases will begin to slow by the end of this week.
