Alcohol ban at gas stations? The Ministry of Energy indicates possible consequences for drivers
The Ministry of Health is currently working on a draft law that will ban the sale of alcoholic beverages at gas stations. However, the Ministry of Energy emphasizes that There are approximately 8,000 companies operating in Poland. gas stations, of which 5.5 thousand has an alcohol license. Although the share of gas stations in the total number of alcohol sales outlets is only 4.6 percent, their alcohol sales constitute an important element of the business.
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Miłosz Motyka pointed out that closing this sales channel may result in the transfer of alcohol trade to other nearby outlets, which raises concerns about unequal treatment of entrepreneurs. The minister emphasized that gas stations incur higher operating costs than standard stores, which results in higher margins on products, including alcohol. According to the ministry's data, the share of alcohol in station sales ranges from 6 to 12 percent, which makes it crucial for their profitability.
Motyka noted that the introduction of the ban may force stations to compensate for losses by increasing the prices of other products, including fuel.
“The ban on the sale of alcohol at gas stations will probably translate into a transfer of margins to other products, including liquid fuels, which in practice may result in an increase in fuel prices in the country,” the minister pointed out.
The Ministry of Energy warns that such a solution could particularly affect independent gas station operators in smaller towns. There are approximately 2.2 thousand companies operating in Poland. such establishments, which often struggle with problems related to obtaining minimal margins on fuel trading. According to Motyka, limiting the sale of alcohol could lead to a decline in revenues and, consequently, to a threat to their functioning.
The minister also drew attention to the growing regulatory and economic challenges that affect the operations of gas stations. Recently, operators have had to adapt to the requirements of the introduction of E10 gasoline, the implementation of the National e-Invoice System and the new deposit system for packaging. “In addition to economic factors, such as rising labor and energy costs, the regulatory environment also remains a major challenge,” Motyka emphasized.
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In the near future, gas stations will have to face further changes, such as the gradual reduction of the consumption of traditional fuels in favor of alternative ones and the extension of the EU ETS2 emissions trading system to road transport, which may increase fuel prices. “The EU ETS2 system, by expanding emission trading to include road transport, will increase the final price of motor gasoline, diesel oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) offered at filling stations,” added the head of the Ministry of Energy.
