The German automotive club ADAC has warned that the price regulation the federal government plans to introduce at fuel stations – modeled on Austria – could backfire and end up driving prices even higher. According to ADAC fuel‑market expert Christian Laberer, oil companies might increase prices from the outset because they would no longer be able to adjust them during the day, which could raise the average price of petrol above its current level.
Laberer also said that, outside of the current crisis situation, the existing German system is more consumer‑friendly. By comparing prices and following the familiar hourly patterns, motorists can usually refuel cheaper than they would under a regulatory intervention. In particular, refuelling in the evening tends to be cheaper, while the expensive morning peak should be avoided. He added that lower fuel prices in Austria are largely due to lower taxes and levies, not to any price‑control mechanism.