After several tax cuts on petrol and diesel, Swedish prices are now among the lowest in the EU. It is clearly cheaper to fill up here than in neighbouring countries, and petrol tourism is clearly visible at Swedish border stations.
Holidaying Danes, Germans, Norwegians and Finns take the opportunity to refuel in Sweden and save several hundred Swedish kronor. But for truckers who drive long distances with large trucks and large tanks, the savings are counted in thousands of Swedish kronor.
Strong driving force
On July 23, it cost 16,300 kronor to fill a 1,000-litre tank in Sweden. A Finnish trucker saved 7,500 kronor by filling up here, a Danish trucker 5,800 kronor and a Norwegian 4,000 kronor, according to the Swedish Transport Companies.
That's where you have the driving force, says Tina Thorsell.
She points out that refuelling in neighbouring countries is not a new phenomenon. Previously, Swedish truckers waited to refuel until they left Sweden, and foreign trucks arrived here with full tanks. Fuel is a major cost for trucking companies.
You adjust your route so that you can refuel where it's cheapest, she says.
The same picture is presented by industry organisations in Denmark and Norway.
Erik Østergaard, CEO of DTL – Danske Vognmænd, tells Sydsvenskan that it could involve significant amounts.
No one drives here just to fill up, but the companies that do drive in Sweden wait to fill up until they have crossed the border and often fill up again before driving back, he says.
Don't disturb Busch
In Norway, prices have fluctuated a lot, but now there is a lot of talk about it being cheaper in Sweden.
There is no doubt that there are many larger trucks refuelling in Sweden. It is a trend that we have seen in the last month, says Kjell Olafsrud, marketing director at the Norwegian Truck Owners' Association (NLF).
In May and July, the government temporarily lowered taxes on petrol and diesel further due to the unrest around the Strait of Hormuz. This cost the treasury a total of SEK 9.3 billion. Energy and Economy Minister Ebba Busch (KD) sees no problem with this also benefiting foreign truckers.
The big problem has been that the Swedish trucking industry has previously been extremely negatively affected by the fact that we have had such high prices. If now some people are taking advantage of the fact that we have lower prices, then so be it. That is not what keeps me awake at night, she says.
The government and the SD have reduced taxes on petrol and diesel in several steps since 2023. A sharp reduction in the reduction obligation, i.e. the requirement to mix biofuels into petrol and diesel, has also made fuel cheaper, especially diesel.
During the period 1 May–30 September this year, the energy tax on petrol and diesel will be reduced to the EU minimum level. This will cost just over SEK 1.6 billion.
On top of this, there will be a support measure in the form of a temporarily reduced carbon dioxide tax on fuel worth SEK 7.7 billion. It will apply during the period 1 July–30 November.
According to the European Commission's weekly statistics, on July 20 Sweden had among the lowest petrol prices in the EU and among the ten lowest diesel prices.
Source: Government, European Commission
