A photograph shows a real gasoline price of $ 7.11 at a 7-Eleven store in mid-June 2022.
Context
Although the photograph is authentic, it was taken in March 2021, not June 2022. Most importantly, the prices listed on the sign did not reflect genuine gas prices. Rather, the poster showed a “trial price” of $ 7.11 to promote the opening of a new store.
Verification of facts
In June 2022, as gas prices continued to rise around the world, a photograph went viral that allegedly showed that gas prices at a 7-Eleven store had reached $ 7.11. This image is often shared with the title, “The prophecy has been fulfilled.”
Tesla CEO Elon Musk shared an untitled version of the photograph, leading some to believe that it reflected genuine gas prices in a 7-Eleven store. But while the picture is real, the prices are not. These are “trial” prices that were used to mark the opening of a new store.
This photo was originally posted online in March 2021 by Reddit user u / mbeemsterboer. The original post was titled “Test Gas Prices for this New 7-Eleven.” In the comments section, the Reddit user shared additional information about the photo:
“Lol, these are not real prices. It was before the gas station was shut down, they only used 7.11 as gasoline prices on the sign for them to run before opening.”
It’s not uncommon for a 7-Eleven store to show $ 7.11 gasoline prices in the days leading up to the opening of a new store, the company told us.
“This photo is more than a year old. In the past, it was common for construction contractors to be able to test fuel price signs at newly built 7-Eleven locations, but not yet open, for $ 7.11. in honor of the name of the store, “a company spokesman said. “Since then we have asked construction contractors to stop this practice and we hope that this recently recirculated photo will not cause any confusion to 7-Eleven customers.”
We found several additional photos showing these test prices at various locations. Here’s a picture of a 7-Eleven that will open soon with a $ 7.11 gasoline price with another sign announcing a new store coming soon.