Not least because of the growing demand for energy, world market prices of fossil fuels have reached a record level.
This has a direct effect on consumer prices, which are additionally impacted by other cost factors such as transport costs, conversion and processing costs, taxes and levies.

Between 2000 and 2005, consumer prices of heating oil in Germany rose by over 30 %. Apart from the cost price of crude oil, the increase in the heating oil tax as part of the ecological tax reform also pushed prices upwards.
Gas prices followed with some delay and climbed 36 %.
Electricity prices for private households increased by approx. 22 %.