The Portuguese Association of Distribution Companies (APED) is urging the Government to adjust fuel taxes to protect consumer confidence in the economy amidst rising geopolitical tensions in Iran. The association's director-general, Gonçalo Lobo Xavier, argues that fuel taxes in Portugal—including the ISP, carbon tax, and VAT—are significantly higher than the European average. He suggests that cutting these taxes is the only viable way to mitigate the impact of rising energy costs on the supply chain and consumer prices, while noting that retailers are already operating on thin margins to keep prices competitive.