Price comparison at the petrol pump: Since Tuesday (1 August), Italian petrol stations have had to display the so-called “prezzo medio” in addition to their own prices.
Since Tuesday (August 1), vacationers in Italy have been puzzled by price signs at gas stations that show prices that differ from those seen at the pumps. The signs indicate the “prezzo medio” – the regional average price for fuel. According to the new regulation, the national average price must be displayed on motorways.
The government in Rome has obliged the leaseholders and owners of the taps to do this. Drivers should be able to compare on the spot whether the fuel is expensive or the price is fair. The value is determined every day at 10:00 am by the Ministry of Economy based on the arithmetic mean of the prices charged by dealers at gas stations.
Refueling in Italy: Gasoline and diesel became extremely expensive shortly before the obligation to report
According to Economy Minister Adolfo Urso, “every consumer will now be able to check whether he is paying an above-average price”. They also want to prevent “fuel price speculation”. Fuel prices have also been a hot topic in Italy for years. In March, the government under the neo-fascist head of government Giorgia Meloni passed the new regulation.
Ironically, shortly before the introduction of the obligation to report, petrol prices climbed to new heights in the past two weeks: in some regions, the price of a liter of petrol has risen above the two euro mark. Holidaymakers feel that too.
Differences in fuel prices in Italy continue to be enormous
It has been possible for years to compare the prices for petrol and diesel via an app. In Italy there is the app “Prezzi Benzina” in the app shop at Google or Apple. There is also a desktop version at: prezzibenzina.it A look at the app on Wednesday shows that fuel prices still differ considerably despite the obligation to display average prices in Italy: The app shows the Veneto between the Dolomites and Venice on Wednesday for super petrol prices between 2.001 euros and 1.699 euros. The official average price is 1.904 euros.
Incidentally, the first day of reporting was a bit chaotic: “There are those who didn’t have time to adapt and put up notes with the prices printed on them,” writes the newspaper L’Arena. Others spent 500 euros to get automatic ads controlled via the Internet. “It seems to me that the measure worked well on the first day,” Transport Minister Urso told the newspaper.
The Italians are skeptical about the innovation
The reactions on Facebook to the report on the gas station regulation are rather skeptical: “I think we should drastically reduce consumption, i.e. limit spending to a minimum for at least six months and then we’ll see what happens,” says a user named Gino L. Paolo B. writes: “What is changing? Everyone does what they like and move on…”
Italy also has a zero-tolerance policy for drivers – and has thus tightened traffic regulations.
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