A comparison between the average annual price of a gallon of gasoline and a gallon of highway diesel fuel in several European countries shows that a large change took place in 2008. In most of the selected countries, the price of gasoline was 30 to 95 cents higher than that of diesel from 2001 to 2007. In 2008, the price difference between the two fuels sharply declined for every country shown. Even the United Kingdom, which had higher diesel prices than gasoline since 2001, shows the same trend. Spain is the only country shown that reversed which fuel was priced higher; in 2007 gasoline was 40 cents more than diesel, but in 2008 gasoline was 12 cents less than diesel. This narrowing of fuel prices is likely a contributing factor to the decline of diesel sales share (See Fact of the Week #644).

Calculated Difference in the Price of Gasoline and Diesel for Selected Countries

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Supporting Information

Gasoline and Diesel Prices for Selected Countries and the Difference Between the Two Prices, 2001-2008 (Dollars per gallon)
 FranceGermanyItaly
YearGasolineDieselDifferenceGasolineDieselDifferenceGasolineDieselDifference
20013.512.710.803.402.790.613.572.950.62
20023.622.750.873.673.000.673.743.050.69
20034.353.390.964.593.790.804.533.750.78
20044.994.160.835.244.410.835.294.410.88
20055.464.810.655.665.010.655.745.210.53
20065.885.130.756.035.300.736.105.530.57
20076.605.660.946.886.060.826.736.030.70
20087.517.030.487.757.370.387.637.430.20
 
 SpainUnited Kingdom   
YearGasolineDieselDifferenceGasolineDieselDifference   
20012.732.350.384.134.25-0.12   
20022.902.460.444.164.29-0.13   
20033.492.970.524.704.82-0.12   
20044.093.550.545.565.68-0.12   
20054.494.200.295.976.25-0.28   
20064.844.500.346.366.63-0.27   
20075.364.960.407.157.34-0.19   
20086.136.25-0.127.428.14-0.72   

Source: Energy Information Administration, "Retail Motor Gasoline Prices in Selected Countries, 1990-2009" and "Automotive Diesel Prices for Non-Commercial (Household) Use, Selected Countries, Recent Years."

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