Eni and IP have announced caps on fuel prices across their distribution networks. Eni’s measure takes effect on September 28 and will last 30 days, setting a maximum price of €1.99 per litre for petrol and €2.19 for diesel. IP has said it will gradually introduce price limits across its own network.
The decisions follow an appeal from the Italian government to support households and businesses facing exceptionally high fuel prices for more than six months, driven primarily by geopolitical tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. The situation has been further complicated by the gradual reduction of the government’s excise-duty discount, whose effectiveness has itself often been debated.
These are commercial initiatives: the two energy companies are choosing to absorb part of the costs and keep prices in check to help maintain the stability of the entire supply chain. They also say the measures are intended to protect consumers’ purchasing power.
Reactions were almost immediate and sharply divided. The Italian prime minister thanked the companies, describing their intervention as a concrete step towards containing costs. Fuel distributors and the federation of petrol station operators affiliated with Confcommercio, by contrast, expressed serious concern about unfair competition and the viability of the wider system. There were also protests from some occupational groups, including taxi drivers’ unions.