Moroccan Consumers Fear New Fuel Price Hikes Amid Global Tensions

Moroccan consumers are bracing for another potential hike in fuel prices, a recurring concern that intensifies with each semi-monthly price adjustment. The current global energy market, particularly the "complex situation in the Strait of Hormuz," is cited by energy specialists as a precursor to further price increases. This prospect has ignited calls from consumer protection associations to invoke Article 4 of the law on freedom of prices and competition, aiming to safeguard the dwindling purchasing power of Moroccan households.

“

In light of the rapid changes in the fuel market, any new price increase this week would be a worrying indicator of the deepening pressure on the purchasing power of the Moroccan consumer, especially in an economic context characterized by successive waves of inflation and rising living costs.

Ali Shtour, head of the Moroccan Association for the Defense of Consumer Rights, expressed deep concern, stating that any new price increase would be a "worrying indicator of the deepening pressure on the purchasing power of the Moroccan consumer." He highlighted the broader economic context of "successive waves of inflation and rising living costs." Shtour also pointed to the growing demand for abandoning the semi-monthly fuel price adjustment system, advocating for more transparency and a closer link between local prices and international market fluctuations to balance the interests of economic actors and consumers.

“

The calls for abandoning the semi-monthly fuel price adjustment system reflect an urgent need for greater transparency and a more accurate link between prices and international market fluctuations, ensuring a balance between the interests of economic actors and consumer protection.

The debate also touches upon the legal framework, with Shtour emphasizing the need to activate provisions like Article 4 of Law No. 104.12, which grants the government exceptional powers to temporarily regulate prices. Additionally, Law No. 31.08 on consumer protection underscores the importance of transparency and accurate pricing information, necessitating enhanced monitoring mechanisms.

“

The increase in international fuel prices was tangible and clearly recorded, with prices in the first half of April exceeding those in the second half of March. Based on these calculations, it is very likely that an additional price increase will be implemented in the coming days of April.

Meanwhile, Hussein Yamani, head of the National Front for the Rescue of the Moroccan Oil Refinery and Secretary-General of the National Union of Petroleum and Gas Workers, noted a discrepancy between global average prices in early April and late March, indicating a clear increase in international fuel costs. He anticipates a further price hike in April. Yamani also criticized the lack of price variation among fuel retailers in Morocco, suggesting a potential tacit agreement that contravenes competition laws. He urged the Competition Council to take a firm stance and suggested that the ultimate solution lies in a political decision by the Prime Minister.

“

The absence of price variation between retailers suggests an understanding and agreement on prices, which contradicts the law on competition and freedom of prices.