Fuel sellers say Estonians are buying less fuel at a time
Sunday 20th September 2026 on 22:00 in
Estonia
Estonians have not significantly reduced their driving despite a sharp rise in fuel prices, especially for diesel, but fuel retailers are seeing customers buy smaller quantities in the hope that prices will fall again, ERR reported. Retailers do not expect a quick decline in prices.
“The prices have been higher in the past few weeks than they were in August, and in ordinary household consumption the biggest impact is that people start consuming less at a time,” said Tarmo Kärsna, head of business development at fuel retailer Alexela. He said this means people refuel more often each month while still making the trips they need to make.
“In monetary terms, spending on fuel has actually increased because fuel has become more expensive. Consumption in litres is broadly similar to last year, perhaps slightly lower overall, but the number of refuelling visits has increased,” said Raimo Vahtrik, Circle K’s sales director for motor fuels.
Vahtrik said drivers were also avoiding filling their tanks, instead travelling with less fuel in the hope that prices would fall the next day. Average purchases have declined slightly: a typical purchase of about 50 euros now buys roughly 22 to 23 litres of fuel, compared with almost 30 litres during the same period last year.
Fuel retailers expect high prices to persist. Kärsna said the conflict was still ongoing and had escalated, while fuel reserves had declined and the heating season was approaching. He said low diesel reserves in Europe and globally were currently the biggest concern affecting diesel prices.
SEB economic analyst Mihkel Nestor said a prolonged rise in diesel prices could affect more than motorists’ fuel bills. Higher diesel costs increase transport expenses, which can feed into the prices of goods and services.
“Goods generally move in vehicles powered by diesel,” Nestor said, adding that higher diesel prices could affect the wider economy. He said market speculation that the central bank might be forced to raise interest rates, possibly twice, could also lead to higher borrowing costs.