A petrol station in the town of Filderstadt near Stuttgart, Germany, skyrocketed the price of super gasoline to a prohibitive level of €9.99 per liter ($14.60) or $55 per gallon on Easter Monday, in an attempt to…prevent customers from buying the fuel. German news site ‘The Local’ reported that the Esso petrol station raised the price to €9.99 a liter as it was running low on the fuel amid a nationwide shortage.
Despite warning signs posted at the pumps, several clients fueled their cars and had a very, very unpleasant surprise at the cash register when they learned the amount of money they had to pay. One of them was asked to pay €209.98 ($307) for the 21 liters of super gasoline he put in his BMW, while another driver learned that she owed just under €200 ($292.5) for 20 liters of fuel!
Angry customers called the police and refused to pay the bills, but they were told they had to otherwise the Esso station would make a complaint. Motorists eventually paid for the petrol but were hoping to sort out a compromise with Esso on Tuesday. The owner of the station did not comment on the matter.
A spokesperson for the Auto Club Europa said the case resembled the black market. “It’s barely believable that global companies blunder into a supply bottleneck like drunks into a village pond,” said Rainer Hillgärtner. “The relevant inspectorate has to investigate. That goes also for unfair price rises and exorbitant prices at the pump,” he added.
One in five stations in Stuttgart area had no supplies of super gasoline on Monday afternoon because of the Easter traffic, the holiday ban on fuel tankers and logistical problems for petrol companies associated with the introduction of the E10 ethanol fuel. The moral of the story? Even on €10 per liter, some people will still buy gasoline...
By Dan Mihalascu
19 Comments:
That's the American way.
Oh it's Germany, strange.
read the sign morons!
^^^^^^^^^
What sign are you talking about and who are the morons.
Does your mother now you are using the computer?
@ read the sign morons
You should read the first blog again or is english not your first language?
The sign probably said "Special Shock Price".
If I had to pay that much lol, I would say sure give me a light as well please, I would go outside and burn down the fuking gasstaion!!!!
So these people did not read the fuel price on the pump as it was pumping or does the fuel pumps in Germany not tell you the price , because once I read 55.00 a liter, I would had laughed then drove away.
If this gas station wanted to save it's fuels , Why could this gas station not just shut down if he wanted to stop buyers from buying the fuel , after all If he can change any price when he likes, surely he can close his gas station any time he wants, unless tricking motorist who pay no attention to the price was his real motive?
LOL
read the sign you moron, or better read the blog before you blog. you're probably one of those dumb ass customer who paid 9.99 a liter, and I'm glad you did.
"Despite warning signs posted at the pumps, several clients fueled their cars and had a very, very unpleasant surprise at the cash register when they learned the amount of money they had to pay."
@ read the signs morons!
seems a fair call to make, why the unruly attitude to it?
read the signs morons seems to have been adressed to the people in the article and not the other bloggers.
I guess the offender should have realized this, only logical that one would talk to an article.
I think price gouging is still against the law there. That idiot owner needs to go to jail.
Gas station "owners" of the big brand gas stations (usually the are only leaseholder) have no influence on the gas prices. The prices are set remotely by Esso, Shell, Aral, etc.
Warning signes were locates directly at the gas pumps, but the clients ignored them.
It was at an "Esso" tank stop of the ExxonMobil company. But now, after an public out cry, the customers will get their money back.
http://www.focus.de/auto/news/wucher-beim-benzinpreis-von-esso-9-99-euro-tanker-bekommen-geld-zurueck_aid_621553.html
German gas stations do show the price on the pumps apart from several warning signs that were posted to it.
The customers that payed those prices are getting there money back despite the fact mentioned above.
In the meantime several gas stations that are running out of fuel are following the Esso example by raising the prices to 7,77€, 8,88€ or 9,99€.
TS
It really doesn't matter whether they show the damn price or not fool......Price gouging is price gouging......It would be like charging $10 a gal for water during an earthquake. It's BS and it's wrong. The next time a situation happens in your area, I'll be the one with the M-4 drawing down on you saying "Pay or Get"......
"Dummer Autofahrer, wenig Liter"
The moral of the story? Some people HAVE to buy gasoline for their work. Some people earn their living, er like taxi drivers!
Thank you for sharing.
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