The Competition Council launched the “fuel price monitor”, the online platform that allows consumers to find out the prices of large auto fuel distribution networks, the main aim being to make products cheaper, said Bogdan Chiriţoiu, president of the institution.

The “fuel price monitor” is available both as a web app and as a mobile application (IOS and Android) downloadable from the App Store and Google Play and displays the prices for standard and premium fuels (petrol and diesel) at stations of OMV Petrom, Mol, Rompetrol, Lukoil, Socar and Gazprom across the country, offering multiple search, sorting and filtering facilities.

“By accessing this price comparator for free, consumers can find out which are the nearest gas stations, geographic location and the services they offer, as well as the prices they have, so they have important information on the existing offer on the market in the geographic area of interest.This will stimulate competition, both in price and through the services offered by the companies involved in the retail sale of automotive fuel,” said Chiriţoiu, present at the launch event, according to Agerpres.

According to him, the main purpose is to lower prices. “We have had very good cooperation from the companies involved, which has made it easier for us. We want to make it easier for our drivers to identify stations in their vicinity or on their route, which offers the fuel at the lowest price. Price variations are not high between chains, but they exist, and also exist between stations of the same chain. This will lead to a downward convergence of prices, that is, those who practice higher prices will reduce them by a few percent. We want to put pressure on the retail price,” Chiriţoiu said.

At the end of December 2018, the Competition Council signed a contract with Maguay for the implementation of the application, the contract having a value of 1.42 million lei. The second part of the project, related to food prices, will be launched in September.