Gas stations in the north of the Kempen are working overtime. Dutch fuel prices are even higher than ours, so our northern neighbors flock across the border to refuel.
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The recovery after the corona crisis has significantly increased the demand for fuel. This leads to rising prices throughout Europe. But those who already feel their bank account bleeding at a Belgian pump, probably do not know that it is even worse with our northern neighbors. With gasoline costing more than two euros per litre, aggrieved Dutch motorists have already stated in recent weeks that they would ‘never again’ fill up in their own country.
At the Van Raak gas station in Poppel, barely a few meters from the border, it is full in more than one sense of the word. ‘It’s always busy here, but in the past three weeks we really noticed a difference,’ says employee Mies Nooyens. ‘In the Netherlands, even more excise duties are levied, which results in even higher prices. And so the Dutch come here to refuel.’
– Marco: ‘I live just across the border. Then it’s worth driving past here.’ Photo: Bert De Deken
Despite the queue, it still moves smoothly. Marco is not interested in joining us for a while. ‘I do quite a lot of kilometers, about 150 a day. I live just across the border, in Goirle. Then it’s worth driving past here.’ Resscy comes from Esch, a half hour drive from Poppel. ‘But I work near here. I usually fill up in Belgium, and now certainly. It quickly saves 15 to 20 euros. If you don’t, you’re a thief in your own wallet.’
An elderly couple uses the return home from a family visit in Oud-Turnhout to stock up on fuel. ‘Tomorrow we have to go to the Randstad, so we fill up now. That makes a difference of 15 euros.’ In the border areas of the Netherlands, the pumps still offer a relatively large discount in order to limit the discharge to Belgium.
We will also take a random look across the border. A motorist doubts for a moment about the empty Tamoil on the industrial estate in Goirle. A glance at the prices makes him change his mind and drive on.
Rianne has just filled her tank at the Texaco in the center of Goirle. ‘It was almost empty, I couldn’t get into Poppel anymore’, she laughs. ‘It is really not normal in the Netherlands. Next time I will definitely refuel in Belgium. More fun and cheaper!’
For Dutch people who drive on petrol, the advantage is obvious (see Table). Dutch diesel drivers, on the other hand, do not benefit much from a detour to Belgium. At Van Raak the price is 1.634 euros per liter, at Tamoil it is 1.649. For a full tank of 45 liters, that makes 73.53 euros in Belgium and 74.21 euros in the Netherlands, or barely 70 cents difference.
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