Gas prices are slated to rise slightly in Germany Saturday, while they will decline in the United Kingdom and in the Netherlands.
The Army and Air Force Exchange Service announced that although the cost for a gas is at floor prices in Germany, the Netherlands, Turkey and the Azores, the prices will fluctuate. Floor pricing means that the price for fuel is at or close to cost. AAFES’ policy states the exchange can’t lose money on fuel sales, and floor pricing is intended to prevent it from losing money.
AAFES bases its prices for gas on the U.S. Department of Energy’s average price figures plus costs of providing fuel overseas.
In Germany the cost of a gallon of regular gasoline will rise by 3.7 cents to $2.065. Mid-grade gas is going up by 3.9 cents a gallon to $2.165. Diesel rises 6.4 cents a gallon.
The price for mid-grade gas in the Netherlands will drop by 4.5 cents to $2.342 a gallon. Fuel will decline in the U.K. by 12.3 cents for a gallon of mid-grade gas to $1.946. Top-grade fuel drops 22.8 cents a gallon, and diesel drops 18 cents a gallon.
Fuel prices are also declining in Italy.
The price for unleaded gas in Italy dips below $3 per gallon come New Year’s day. This is the first time since May 2007 that prices for unleaded NATO fuel coupons in Italy have been this low. Diesel and home heating gas also is getting cheaper.
A 100-liter booklet of unleaded gas coupons goes from $86 to $78, a drop roughly from $3.26 per gallon to about $2.95 per gallon. Diesel drops from $105 to $96 per 100 liters, a drop from about $3.98 to $3.64 per gallon.
The cost of home heating gas will also drop, but prices weren’t yet available by press time.
"During this period the strength of the dollar actually increased by 10 percent against the Euro, otherwise we would have been able to drop the price even further," said Bart DiMuccio, administrator of the Tax-Free Office in Naples which runs the gas coupon program in Italy.
"If the dollar weakens against the Euro in January, prices could be cut even more for the next period," Di Muccio said.
With no gas pumps on base for privately owned vehicles in Italy, drivers buy coupons from base exchanges, which are accepted at Agip and Esso stations throughout the country.
Gas prices for premium fuel will remain the same in the Azores at $3.099 a gallon and the same in Turkey at $3.018.
Stripes reporter Lisa Novak contributed to this report.
