A Parallel Market That Grew and Gained Strength Unchecked

The growth of self-service of fuel in Mexico ceased to be a logistical tool and became an irregular market operating without oversight. More than 100,000 unlicensed facilities, distributed across transport yards, mechanical workshops, and construction sites, feed a network where illicit or adulterated fuel circulates, directly impacting the gasoline sector, tax revenue, and industrial safety. What began as a scheme to facilitate operations for companies with large fleets now represents one of the biggest regulatory challenges in the energy sector.

In theory, self-service allowed companies to store fuel for their exclusive use, reducing lead times and optimizing their logistics. But the lack of robust controls opened a loophole where suppliers proliferated, offering tanks, facilities, and supply without permits or traceability. This combination created fertile ground for the growth of a parallel economy that competes with the formal market through lower prices, opacity, and a complete lack of regulation.

How Illegal Self-Service Spilled

Beatriz Marcelino, CEO of Grupo Ciita, estimates that there are more than 100,000 clandestine installations in operation. This figure reflects the scale of the problem: transportation companies, industrial yards, and loading sites use tanks installed without authorization or with irregular documentation. “There are many opportunities for this illegal fuel,” she points out, highlighting how easily distributors offered borrowed tanks, quick installation, and cheaper fuel.

This model created immediate incentives for many companies to switch to informal self-consumption. Instead of buying at petrol stations, they chose to refuel at these irregular outlets, where the price could be one or two pesos lower per litre, enough to generate monthly savings of more than 100,000 pesos. The result was a visible decrease in sales for gas stations, which lost corporate contracts and clients that previously represented a considerable volume.

In addition to the economic impact, the uncontrolled expansion opened the door to a greater risk: the influx of stolen fuel (huachicol). Ricardo Quiroz, president of Ampes, explains that these facilities became “major recipients” of illicit hydrocarbons due to their lack of regulation and because they operate outside the scrutiny of the authorities.

Tax, Legal, and Operational Risks for Companies

The lack of traceability at these facilities not only affects the formal market; it also puts the companies that use them at risk. Tax authorities, especially the Tax Administration Service (SAT), have stepped up inspections, focusing on consumption exceeding 75,000 liters per month. If a company submits a single invoice for 80,000 liters of fuel purchased from unauthorized intermediaries, the SAT can cancel its digital tax stamps, preventing it from issuing invoices and, therefore, from operating.

In operational terms, the danger is even greater. The lack of technical standards, safety protocols, and certified equipment makes these self-service fuel yards vulnerable to leaks, explosions, fires, and environmental damage. Despite the use of highly flammable substances, many facilities remain unregulated due to the absence of specific regulations from the ASEA (National Agency for Industrial Safety and Environmental Protection of the Hydrocarbons Sector), which are necessary to establish safety requirements.

The Urgency of a Robust Regulatory Framework

To curb the growth of this parallel market, the federal government has begun updating the regulatory framework. The new system requires self-consumption permits, volumetric controls, traceability documentation, and periodic inspections. However, experts agree that the system is still incomplete and requires clearer regulations, especially regarding industrial safety.

Furthermore, the OECD has recommended that Mexico strengthen controls on fuel trade to reduce informality, improve tax collection, and ensure fair competition. Without effective oversight, the illegal market will continue to expand and weaken the formal sector.

An economic and national security challenge

The phenomenon of irregular self-service is no longer an isolated problem: it affects sales, distorts competition, erodes tax revenue and compromises the operational security of thousands of companies. It also creates an underground network that facilitates the circulation of stolen fuel, feeding criminal economies that put workers, transporters and consumers at risk.

Mexico now faces an urgent need to regulate the market, close regulatory gaps and establish a supervisory regime that prevents the growth of these clandestine facilities. Without firm and sustained intervention, the illegal fuel market will continue to expand, affecting not only the petrol sector but the entire formal economy.

Source: La Verdad Noticias