AEI: Fuel prices rise significantly in first four months of 2026, especially diesel

   In the first four months of 2026 compared with the same period of 2025 the fuel prices rose significantly, with diesel recording the steeper increase, however demand remained strong, particularly in March, despite the higher prices, President of the Intelligent Energy Association (AEI) Dumitru Chisalita said in an analysis published on Wednesday.According to the expert, average fuel prices remained relatively stable between January and April 2025. Petrol ranged from 7.28 to 7.39 lei per litre, a maximum fluctuation of just 0.11 lei per litre (1.5%), while diesel varied between 7.40 and 7.65 lei per litre, a maximum difference of 0.25 lei per litre (3.4%).In contrast, during the first four months of 2026, prices were considerably higher, with petrol rising from 7.70 lei per litre in January to 9.18 lei per litre in March, before falling to 8.79 lei per litre in April. Compared with April 2025, the price of petrol was around 19.6% higher.Diesel prices rose even more sharply, increasing from 7.88 lei per litre in January to a peak of 9.98 lei per litre in March, before easing to 9.53 lei per litre in April. Compared with April 2025, the price of diesel was around 27.6% higher, indicating significantly greater pressure on transport and distribution costs."In 2025, fuel consumption was moderate. Petrol consumption increased by 12% in both March and April, following a stable level in February, reflecting the seasonal increase typically seen at the start of the period of higher mobility. Diesel consumption followed a gradual upward trend, rising by 2% in February, 9% in March and 3% in April, confirming an increase in economic and transport activity ahead of the agricultural and construction seasons. In 2026, consumption has been more volatile. Petrol consumption fell by 2% in February, followed by a sharp 17% increase in March, while growth slowed to just 1% in April. This development suggests that the sharp rise in prices has begun to influence consumer behaviour, limiting demand after the seasonal peak in March," Chisalita explained.He underscored that diesel consumption remained unchanged in February, surged by 21% in March and then levelled off in April."Although diesel prices rose significantly, demand remained strong in March, confirming that the fuel is used primarily for economic activities where demand is less sensitive to price fluctuations. The comparative analysis shows that the price increases in 2026 did not lead to a proportional decline in consumption. In March 2026, although petrol was around 26% more expensive than in March 2025, consumption rose by 17%, while diesel, with a price almost 31% higher, recorded a 21% increase in consumption. This indicates that demand for fuel is relatively inelastic in the short term. Both private consumers and businesses continued to use similar or even greater volumes despite the higher prices, which reflects the essential role of fuel in mobility and economic activity," the analysis informed.Compared with 2025, the first four months of 2026 were marked by a significat rise in fuel prices (particularly for diesel), sustained demand during the opening months of the year, especially in March, despite higher prices, limited short-term sensitivity of consumption to price increases (which confirms fuel's status as an essential commodity) and early signs of weaker consumption in April 2026, particularly in the petrol segment, which may indicate that consumers are beginning to adjust to the new price levels.Overall, the AEI head believes the data show that fuel demand remained robust during the period under review despite price increases of 20% to 30%, however, the pace of consumption growth is beginning to slow as the economic impact of the higher prices is increasingly passed on to end users.