Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/314431 
Year of Publication: 
2025
Series/Report no.: 
DICE Discussion Paper No. 418
Publisher: 
Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE), Düsseldorf
Abstract: 
This article examines the price effects of gasoline stations following a retail merger in 2022. Using detailed station-level price data from 2020 to 2024, the analysis shows that fuel prices increase at both merging stations and their competitors, but with regional differences. These regional differences cannot be explained by horizontal merger effects. Instead, changes in the vertical market structure play a key role. The divestment of the station network disrupts supply chains, creating demand pressure on local refineries. The findings highlight the importance of vertical relationships in merger assessments.
Subjects: 
Gasoline Retail Markets
Ex-Post Merger Evaluation
Competition
JEL: 
D22
K21
L13
L41
L81
ISBN: 
978-3-86304-417-6
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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