Spain now has 900 unmanned petrol stations

7.5% of service stations are unmanned, although savings for drivers can be as high as 16%.

Out of the 11,646 petrol stations in Spain, only 882 are fully unmmaned, accounting for 7.5% of the total. According to the latest study by the National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC), it would be advisable for both the State and the autonomous regions to eliminate requirements or limitations that "are not really necessary" on automated petrol stations in view of their potential to reduce fuel prices.

The reduction in the number of personnel and the smaller space occupied by unmanned petrol stations would contribute to their offer being cheaper than traditional sites. However, the opposition of both the traditional operators and the authorities has resulted in their expansion in the Spanish territory being much slower than in the other countries of the European Union, where they have grown by up to 16%.

According to a study carried out in the Community of Madrid, the price difference between traditional service stations and automatic petrol stations reached a maximum of 16.9% for diesel A, and 12.3% for petrol 95 between 2012-2016.

Companies such as Ballenoil, Naftë, Petroprix, Petrocar, Plenoil, Elc24h, Aneroil or Autonet&oil are battling to expand their presence in the Iberian Peninsula, although most of them are concentrated in a few Spanish autonomous communities: Catalonia, Valencia, Andalusia and Madrid would account for 72% of this type. In Galicia, Cantabria, Asturias, Navarre, La Rioja, Aragon, Extremadura and the Balearic Islands its presence is almost non-existent.