The price of unleaded petrol increased continuously by 33 % between 1990 and 2008. The quantity of fuel consumed decreased from 2000 to 2004 but it is light increasing since 2005. In 2008 the quantity of fuel consumed increased from 3.2% in comparison with 2007.
In Switzerland the petroleum tax is an excise tax encompassing a petroleum tax on crude oil, other mineral oils, natural gas, their processed products, and engine fuels and a petroleum surtax on engine fuels. The revenue obtains with the petroleum tax in 2008 was 5.22 billion, francs or 8.17 % of federal revenue (of which 3.13 billion francs with the petroleum tax and 2.09 billion francs with the petroleum surtax). Half of the petroleum tax and the entire petroleum surtax are earmarked for tasks related to road traffic. The rest of the net revenue is allocated to general expenditures of the federal budget. The petroleum tax varies heavily depending on the product and the use of the product (engine fuel, heating fuel, technical purposes). For instance, the tax per litre is: 74.47 cents for unleaded petrol, 75.87 cents for diesel oil, 0.3 cents for extra light heating oil.