During a mid Easter period, the industry shifted with a notable move in commercial strategy: major fuel retailers shifted away from broad 10-cent per liter discounts and replaced them with narrower, more targeted savings. Repsol, Cepsa, BP, and Shell—long known for offering frequent fuel promotions—appeared to recalibrate their approach, seeking to regain customers drawn away by aggressive campaigns elsewhere in the market.
Low-cost fueling networks positioned themselves to capitalize on this pause in large-scale discounts, signaling a willingness to undercut traditional stations and attract price-sensitive drivers. Industry observers, including the National Association of Automated Service Stations, report that the typical price gap between discount-focused stations and conventional ones hovered around 15 cents per liter during the Holy Week period, underscoring the competitive environment even as the big brands adjusted their policies [AESAE data].
Associations highlighting discount-driven chains—comprising operators such as Ballenoil, Petroprix, and BonArea—note that price differentials across regions typically range from ten to eighteen cents for both 95-octane gasoline and diesel, according to data from the Ministry of Ecological Transition’s gas station geoportal. Consumers in some communities thus enjoyed meaningful savings depending on the station type they visited.
In Navarra, drivers using 95 gasoline experienced the largest average savings, with a roughly 19-cent gap between automatic and conventional stations. In the Basque Country, diesel showed the most pronounced divergence, around 18 cents per liter. Experts suggest a direct link between the spread in discounts and the presence of automatic stations; fewer alternatives in Navarra and the Basque Country meant less competition from traditional outlets, which in turn amplified the price gap [AESAE insights]. The association notes that the average driver could save around 20 euros on fuel during Holy Week thanks to these differentials.
Regional analyses identify the communities with the smallest price gaps for gasoline at 95 octane. Murcia, the Balearic Islands, and Castilla-La Mancha, along with Asturias, Castilla y León, and La Rioja, show only about 10 to 13 cents differences. For diesel, Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, Murcia, Aragon, and Asturias exhibit the smallest differentials, hovering around 10 to 12 cents. These patterns reflect a lean cost structure among discount chains and the ability to source fuel from wholesale suppliers to secure favorable prices [regional survey data].
Discounts from Big Oil
Repsol has reshaped its discount strategy across its network. As the leading player in Spain with roughly 3,300 service stations, the company withdrew a blanket 10-cent-per-liter discount on April 1 and introduced a new program offering specialized savings for customers who hold other energy service contracts, including electricity, natural gas, heating, electric mobility, or solar self-consumption. The shift aims to integrate broader energy services with fuel purchases, creating value beyond gas alone [industry commentary].
Additionally, Repsol unveiled a Waylet-based program that provides deferred discounts ranging from 5 to 20 cents per liter and even offers up to 100% discounts on EV charging sessions, depending on usage patterns and bundled services. This layered approach rewards loyal behavior while promoting wider adoption of the company’s digital payment ecosystem [Waylet program details].
Cepsa has followed a similar path, rolling back the 10 to 12 cent discounts previously available to drivers and halving those offers over the coming weeks, including during Easter. Its loyalty initiative, branded Because You’re Back, promises extra discounts of 5 to 6 cents per liter, varying by fuel type. The company has indicated these more generous concessions will be limited to a two-week window, after which a broader trading strategy will be evaluated [Cepsa loyalty updates].
BP has sought to apply pressure on competitors by advertising discounts of up to 8 cents per liter through early summer. The My BP loyalty program is driving this effort, with discounts set to run from early April through late June, typically between 3 and 8 cents per liter depending on fuel type, and with higher savings on premium BP Ultimate fuels. Meanwhile, the Disa Group, operating under the Shell brand, has revised its policy across Spain with the exception of the Canary Islands. Since the most recent changes, discounts have ranged from 3 to 5 cents per liter, conditioned by the type of fuel, starting from the most recent Saturday [market updates].
These moves illustrate a broader industry trend: major oil companies are recalibrating promotions in response to competitive pressure, regional demand, and the evolving expectations of drivers who increasingly value digital convenience and bundled energy services alongside fuel purchases [industry analysis].