Riviera Maya, Q.R. — Mexico’s consumer watchdog, the Federal Consumer Protection (Profeco), says nearly 70 percent of participating gas stations around the country have lowered their regular prices.
Two weeks after the launch of the National Strategy to stabilize the price of regular gasoline, 68.8 percent of gas stations are already selling a liter of this fuel for less than 24 pesos, reported Iván Escalante Ruíz, the head of the Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor (Profeco).
Escalante Ruíz explained that on February 27, only 2,931 service stations, or 25.2 percent were selling a liter of regular gasoline for less than 24 pesos. By March 14, the figure had risen to 8,016, or 68.8 percent, which had already met the price ceiling agreed upon with gas stations.
The calculation of gas stations that comply with the agreement was based on 11,649 based on data from the Ministry of Energy (SENER).
Escalante Ruiz indicated that of the total number of states in the country, between 80 and 100 percent of the states in 14 already sell a liter of regular gasoline for less than 24 pesos.
In 11 states, between 60 and 79.9 percent and in only six, less than 60 percent of gas stations have adjusted their prices. Of the 32 states in the country, Baja California is excluded because it has municipalities with tax incentives.
He added that next week, the monitoring of each brand will be presented and that discussions are ongoing with business owners to see how prices can be adjusted to less than 24 pesos.
He reported that according to regional monitoring conducted from March 3 to 9, the lowest price per liter of regular gasoline was found at a Neuma Energy service station in Chihuahua, where the price per liter was 23.14 pesos with a profit margin of 1.20 pesos per liter.
This was followed by a Kinza Gas station in Jalisco with a price of 23.19 pesos and a profit of 1.24 pesos, and another Lagas station in Yucatan, with a price of 23.19 pesos per liter and a profit of 1.35 pesos.
He urged consumers not to fill up at gas stations where regular gasoline is sold for more than 24 pesos per liter. Last month, the government of Mexico made an agreement with participating gas stations to set the maximum price of regular gasoline at 24 pesos for six months.
The adjustment was made to help the economy of local families.
