Prices at gas stations: It's okay, Ms. Reiche

On average, gas station prices change 22 times a day. In the future they will only be allowed to rise once. That’s right. But drivers shouldn’t get excited too soon.

March 11, 2026, 5:06 p.m

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Article summary

Economics Minister Reiche surprises with new measures to combat the energy price shock: gas stations are only allowed to increase prices once a day, oil reserves are released and competition law is tightened. The measures cost no tax money and are intended to calm people’s minds. The gas station regulation is intended to create transparency, but a permanently low price level like in Austria is unlikely. The International Energy Agency intervenes with a gigantic amount of oil reserves to calm the markets. The situation in Iran is driving up the price of oil, while markets around the world are reacting excitedly to the developments.

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The rocket-spring principle applies to prices at the gas station: They go up quickly, but go down slowly.
© (M) Alexander Hoepfner/DIE ZEIT; use Image: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Despite the fact that the economics minister has almost completely disappeared while the world has been digesting an energy price shock for a week, something surprisingly good is coming from her house this Wednesday. Katherina Reiche announced that In the future, gas stations will only be allowed to increase prices once a day. You can go up once a day – but you can always go down. The model is our neighbor Austria, where the regulation has been in effect since 2011. Reiche announced two further steps: Germany is releasing a good fifth of its oil reserves for the international market as part of a huge campaign by the International Energy Agency. And the government wants to tighten competition law again.