As gas prices continue to rise, drivers are angrily glaring up at pump price boards each time they fill up their tanks. But why does the price of a gallon of gas always end in 9/10 of a cent on stations’ price boards? It may seem unusual, or even unnecessary, but there is a long history — and a subtle marketing strategy — behind gas prices ending in 9/10 of a cent. By the 1950s, as the interstate highway system developed and gas stations began advertising their prices on big boards, most stations had moved to ending prices in 9/10 of cent, rather than a smaller fraction. Gas station owners now have computer programs that can help them set prices, said Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis for OPIS, which tracks gas prices at 130,000 stations nationwide.

Source: CNN June 14, 2022 13:57 UTC