LP gas prices in Mexico have climbed by more than 4% in recent weeks, directly impacting the spending of households and small businesses nationwide, according to expansion.mx.
Despite government-regulated price caps, the rising cost of crude oil has been passed down to the end consumer.
This price adjustment affects more than 90% of Mexican households, which rely on this energy source for cooking and heating water.
For many families, the price hike often comes as a shock at the moment of purchase. Martha Neri, a homemaker, shared that the news usually arrives only when the delivery truck is already parked outside her home.
“It’s very difficult. A 20-kilo tank lasts me a month and a half because there are five of us in the house, and with all the cooking, the gas just doesn't go far. You set aside the money because you know what you paid for the last tank, but then at the last minute, it turns out to be more. I don't have those extra pesos, so you end up taking money meant for food to make up the difference,” Neri said.
Impact on the Commercial Sector
The increase is not only affecting domestic economies but is also squeezing profit margins in various business sectors that rely on gas for operations.
Businesses such as dry cleaners, laundromats, and tortilla shops are facing the brunt of this increase. For tortilla shops, the rising cost of gas adds to the financial strain already caused by soaring corn prices.
Antonio López, a tortilla shop owner in Ecatepec, noted that his business uses a 1,000-liter stationary tank, which he refills approximately every week and a half.
López explained that in mid-February, the cost per liter was around 10 pesos, but he is now facing an increase of 50 cents per liter. When refilling an 800-liter volume, the additional cost amounts to between 400 and 500 pesos.
“You certainly feel it in your pocket,” the shop owner said, describing the impact of this new expense on his daily operations.
