Easter, nearly 1.3 billion at the petrol station

From yesterday to Easter, Italian motorists will face a sting of almost 1.3 billion euro at the petrol station. This is the consequence of the increase in fuel prices caused by the Gulf War, which has pushed up the price of a full tank despite the cut in excise duties decided by the Meloni government.

According to Codacons' calculations, 60 million cars will circulate during Easter week, and that of these - according to the latest data on Italy's vehicle fleet - about 40% are powered by diesel and 41.4% by petrol, the remainder are powered by LPG, methane, hybrids and full electrics, the sting on refuelling reaches monstrous levels: 1.28 billion euros more than at Easter 2025. This is assuming an average of two full tanks per car over the entire festive period.

The consumer association has compared the petrol and diesel prices of Easter 2025 with the current ones. Last year, the average price of diesel in the Easter week stood at 1.609 euro per litre, while today, according to Mimit data as of 3 April, the average price of diesel at the self-service station has reached 2.096 euro per litre. An increase of +30.2% compared to the 2025 holidays on which weighs not only the price rally due to the war in Iran, but also the realignment of excise duties ordered by the government at the beginning of the year: for petrol in fact the increase, in the same period and thanks to the reorganisation of taxation, is significantly lower and equal to +2.7%. A litre of diesel fuel thus costs an average of 48.7 euro cents more today than at Easter last year, equal to an aggravation of 24.35 euro per full tank, while for petrol, which last year cost 1.716 euro per litre and now costs 1.763 euro per litre, the higher expenditure is +2.35 euro per full tank, according to Codacons calculations.

"Families who own a diesel-powered car are the ones who will pay the bill for the Easter price rises the most,' Codacons explained in a note. 'On this type of fuel, in fact, both the Iran effect, which affects diesel prices more than petrol, and the higher taxation introduced last January by the government to realign excise duties weigh heavily.

With these price lists, travelling north-south by car becomes much more economically demanding. With a diesel car a typical route from Milan to Lecce, about 1,100 kilometres, and back now costs a total of 240 euros, 56 euros more. Similarly, for the Rome - Cosenza round trip, about 520 kilometres each way, 121 euros are needed, an increase of 28 euros, while for the Florence - Taranto, a 790-kilometre route, 185 euros are spent, an increase of 43 euros. These are the estimates of Assoutenti, and Gabriele Melluso, president of the association, emphasises: "If we compare the current expenditure with that incurred by citizens to travel along the same routes at Easter 2025, we discover that the cost of refuelling between the Turin-Palermo route is 86 euros higher, and more than 70 euros if travelling from Milan to Catania or from Turin to Reggio Calabria. High costs but on the whole competitive compared to the purchase of a round-trip air passage for two adults with a teenager purchased under date. In fact, Booking reports prices between 1,150 and 1,250 euros with hand luggage or no less than 426 euros per person with only hand luggage.