The share of Spain’s fuel market controlled by alternative brands is accelerating as they expand more aggressively. Over time, the rise in service stations in Spain has come almost entirely from new, low-cost formats, reshaping the landscape with brisk momentum.
Automatic stations, independent retailers, and outlets tied to hypermarkets and cooperative networks are driving growth. The expansion of discount formats is fueling a new wave of branding across Spain, pushing the total number of service stations to fresh records. By the end of 2022, amid a price rally and a government subsidy that reduced fuel costs by 20 eurocents per liter, Spain operated 12,084 service stations.
This figure marks a new historical peak in the Spanish fuel sector, reflecting growth added during the preceding year. The market saw 274 extra points of sale, the strongest rise in six years, according to the latest annual report from the Association of Petroleum Operators (AOP), the industry group uniting Spain’s major oil brands. [AOP report attribution]
When the Campsa monopoly ended under the government of Felipe González in 1992, Spain had just under 6,000 stations. After three decades of near-constant expansion, the station network has roughly doubled, with only rare annual declines, notably in 2005 and 2019. [AOP data attribution]
The market was split in two
Last year, alternative brands—including independent shops, hypermarket chains, and cooperatives—added 280 service stations, bringing the national total to 5,941 locations and capturing about 49% of the country’s network. The system stabilized around 6,143 stations, essentially flat from the prior year. Networks such as Ballenoil, Plenoil, Meroil, and Petroprix are among those that expanded across the independent-brand segment during this period of rapid growth. [AOP analysis attribution]
At year-end, the leading national operator by outlet count was a major network with 3,304 stations, representing 27% of Spain’s total, though this was nine fewer than in 2021. Cesa followed with 1,484 stations, marking the only notable growth among the large players, up 11 percentage points year over year. Blood pressure, a colloquial nod to market tension, places the next tier at 781 centers, three fewer than the prior year. [AOP data attribution]
With a fleet numbering roughly 33 million vehicles, the industry is characterized by larger stations, more pumps, and longer hoses than many peers in Europe, despite slower fleet growth. The network’s expansion over three decades has prompted ongoing discussions about saturation risk and the long-term sustainability of each site’s business model. [AOP commentary attribution]
frontal collision
Last year witnessed a ferocious price war in the fuel market. Major oil groups intensified competition, offering additional discounts to the mandated 20-cent per liter reduction funded by public money as part of an energy-crisis response. This environment complicated the ability of discount networks to compete on price while maintaining profitability. [CNMC market action attribution]
Independent station associations have pressed the National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) to scrutinize the pricing and operational strategies of the three largest groups. The CNMC has conducted investigations and searches at the headquarters of these groups. High wholesale fuel prices faced by smaller operators, coupled with aggressive consumer discounts from large networks claiming low-cost status, have squeezed small players into fragile margins. [CNMC investigations attribution]
This situation resembles a clamp effect that makes it hard for small networks to compete on equal terms, with some observers suggesting prices and practices bordering on dumping. The sector continues to watch how regulatory actions will shape competition and market access moving forward. [Regulatory analysis attribution]