Petrol recommended price reaches record level again
National recommended prices continue to rise, but motorists pay different amounts at different stations.
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The recommended price for petrol in the Netherlands has reached a record level once again. The rise affects consumers and businesses, while the price at the pump may differ from the national recommended price.
Petrol prices continue to rise. UnitedConsumers calculates an Average National Recommended Price every day, based on the recommended prices of five major oil companies. On 25 September, the recommended price for Shell Euro95 was €2.739 per litre, according to the organisation.
That is not a national pump price. Service-station operators may set their own rates and can charge below or above the recommended price. Location, competition and the moment at which a station adjusts its price therefore make a difference to motorists.
The price rise comes on top of an already exceptionally expensive year. Earlier in September, UnitedConsumers recorded a record €2.726 per litre for Euro95. The new Shell recommended price is higher, but the individual measurements do not all have the same reference date or concern the same type of price.
Diesel also remains expensive. Shell's recommended price for diesel stood at €2.779 per litre on 25 September. Earlier this month, UnitedConsumers reported that the highest recorded diesel price was €2.824, meaning that the market for both fuels remains close to historic peaks.
The background is primarily the international oil market. Earlier in September, ANP reported that Brent crude cost almost $100 per barrel and that the oil price had risen sharply since the start of the year. Geopolitical tensions and uncertainty about supply feed through the international market into recommended prices in the Netherlands.
For consumers, a higher recommended price does not automatically mean that every refuelling stop becomes equally more expensive. Those who compare prices and avoid motorway stations can sometimes save tens of cents per litre. For haulage companies, couriers and other high-mileage drivers, however, the rise feeds directly into costs unless they can pass it on through price agreements or fuel surcharges.
The higher petrol price is once again putting the debate about taxes, affordability and alternatives to fossil fuels under the spotlight. A temporary price measure can ease pressure on households, but it does nothing to change the international oil price or the long-term costs of driving on petrol.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Recommended prices for petrol and diesel are at exceptionally high levels in September 2026.
- The pump price may differ from the national recommended price from one service station to another.
- International oil prices and geopolitical uncertainty influence the fuel market.
Left
Arguments The government should protect purchasing power through targeted support, lower charges for vulnerable households and faster access to affordable public transport.
Values Affordability, social justice and a rapid transition to cleaner mobility.
Consequences Without support, low-income households and people dependent on cars will be particularly squeezed; broad tax cuts could slow the shift towards sustainability.
Centre
Arguments Temporary relief may be necessary, but it should remain targeted and fiscally sustainable. At the same time, alternatives such as public transport and electric cars should gradually become more widely available.
Values Purchasing power, predictable policy and feasibility.
Consequences A balanced approach limits the immediate pain without subsidising dependence on fossil fuels in the long term.
Right
Arguments The government should not tax fuels further when international price rises are already affecting consumers. More competition and lower charges are more effective than new subsidies.
Values Personal responsibility, low taxes and market forces.
Consequences Lower charges can provide rapid relief, but they leave households fully exposed to international price fluctuations.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The core points about the high recommended prices, the difference from pump prices and the price calculation were confirmed by public sources. The text distinguishes between current brand prices, the national recommended price and historical records.
- confirmed UnitedConsumers calculates an Average National Recommended Price every day, based on five major oil companies. — This is stated in UnitedConsumers' explanation of the GLA. source
- confirmed Shell Euro95 stood at €2.739 per litre on 25 September. — The current Shell price page lists this price and date. source
- confirmed Service stations can differ from the recommended price. — UnitedConsumers states that station operators set their own pump price. source
- confirmed Brent crude was close to $100 per barrel earlier in September. — ANP reported this via AutoWeek on 9 September 2026. source
Editor's note
It is certain that recommended prices are once again very high and that recommended prices differ from pump prices. The international oil price is an important background factor; the precise influence of taxes, margins and geopolitical events on the daily price has not been established separately.Sources
- Actuele brandstof adviesprijzen Shell — UnitedConsumers
- Brandstofprijzen blijven records breken door onrust Midden-Oosten — AutoWeek / ANP
- Actuele brandstofprijzen — UnitedConsumers
More on this in Dutch media
- Het Parool — „benzine brandstofprijzen”
- de Volkskrant — „benzine brandstofprijzen”
- NU.nl — „benzine brandstofprijzen”