refuelling behaviour adjusted

Sales of petrol, diesel and LPG fell dramatically in the first five months of 2026

Door de dit voorjaar gemiddeld bijna 20 procent hogere brandstofprijzen aan de pomp, passen consumenten en bedrijven hun tankgedrag aan. Foto: Travelcard, 2026

Sales of motor fuels in the Netherlands fell sharply in the first five months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. From January to May, petrol sales fell by over 6 per cent in volume terms, whilst diesel sales were down by over 15 per cent.

This is according to data from NOVE, the trade association for independent fuel retailers and EV providers, based on recent (provisional) figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Between January and May 2026, petrol sales in the Netherlands saw only a slight increase of 1 per cent in March compared with March the previous year. In the other months, petrol consumption was lower: 9.5 per cent less in January, 4 per cent less in February, 9.5 per cent less in April and 9.1 per cent less in May than in the same months of 2025. This resulted in an average volume decline of 6.2 per cent in petrol sales over the first five months of 2026.

Sharply lower diesel sales

Diesel sales in the Netherlands continue to decline. The switch to electric vehicles by passenger cars, commercial vehicles and lorries, and the rise of more environmentally friendly fuels, are the main causes of this. A growing number of transport companies are also choosing to refuel abroad. Belgium is particularly popular because, in addition to the already lower excise duties, a tax refund scheme also applies. In no month this spring did diesel sales show an increase compared with the same period in 2025. With a 6.7 per cent fall in sales, February was still the best month for diesel sales in our country. In March, sales fell by 13.1 per cent, in January by 16.4 per cent and in April by 17.6 per cent. May was particularly dramatic, with a 22.5 per cent drop in volume compared with May 2025.

LPG

LPG is also continuing to struggle. Although there are still very few vehicles running on LPG in the Netherlands, the fuel recorded a significant drop in sales of 18.7 per cent in the first five months of 2026. January 2026 was the worst month, with a 35.3 per cent fall in volume compared with January 2025.

Changes in refuelling behaviour

Travelcard confirmed the declines in petrol and diesel sales on Thursday. According to the B2B mobility provider, companies are adjusting their refuelling behaviour due to fuel prices at the pump being nearly 20 per cent higher this spring. This was particularly the case in April and May. In April, the volume refuelled per fuel card was 8 litres per month lower than a year earlier; in May, it was 11 litres. Compared with March 2026, 14 to 16 litres less were refuelled per card per month. The volume per refuelling session remained virtually unchanged, falling from an average of 43.3 to 42.3 litres. According to Travelcard, drivers were not filling up with less per visit, but were visiting the petrol station less frequently. In June, the volume picked up again.

Action taken

“As a result of high fuel prices, organisations and business drivers have taken action by adjusting their refuelling behaviour,” concludes Peter van Hemert, managing director at Travelcard. “However, the price rise was so steep that this made no difference. If you’re paying a fifth more per litre, you’ll still feel the pinch in your wallet, even if you fill up less often.”

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This article was automatically translated from the original Dutch text into British English.

Author: Paul Blonk

Source: Mobility Energy

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