Free withdrawing money ends at Shell: What does that mean for you?

Free withdrawing money ends at Shell: What does that mean for you?

Karlsruhe, Deutschland - From June 30, 2025, free money cancellation at Shell petrol stations will be set. The Merkur reports that the Cash Group, consisting of Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, Postbank and HypoVeinsbank, ends the cooperation with Shell. So far, customers have had the option of lifting up to 1,000 euros a day at around 1,300 petrol stations without having to make a minimum shopping. This service was available around the clock, even on weekends and public holidays, which made it particularly attractive for many users.

In rural areas and urban outskirts, consumers are particularly affected, as more and more ATMs and branches are being broken down there. The number of ATMs in Germany has dropped sharply in recent years, from 59,000 in 2018 to only 51,000 in 2023. The banks involved in the Cash Group also plan massive branch closures, with Postbank plans to close around 230 of its 550 branches by 2026.

Digital trends and branch death

More and more people in Germany use online banking, which leads to a drastic decline in bank branches. At the turn of the year 2023/2024, according to an analysis of the Tagesschau , there was fewer than 20,000 occupied bank and savings bank locations, which corresponds to a decline of 945 branches compared to the previous year. Over 80 percent of Germans are now doing their banking business online, and this increasingly also applies to older generations: 54 percent of the over 65 years of use online services, in the previous year it was 45 percent.

The banks try to maintain their presence despite the closures. This includes video leaders, consulting centers with longer opening times and even mobile Sparkassen buses. Nevertheless, experts expect the trend towards fewer branches to continue. This is particularly serious for regional customers who often rely on personal advice.

uncertainty for cash withdrawals

It remains unclear whether there will be a new cooperation with other petrol stations or financial institutions in the future. The Cash Group announced that it will continue to observe the situation. This means that many customers face the challenge of finding alternative ways for their daily banking. It remains to be seen how these developments will affect the financial landscape in Germany.

In view of the dwindling possibilities for cash withdrawals and the acceptance of the physical bank branches, the question arises as to how consumers will react to these changes and which new solutions could arise in the digital world. The Cash Group states that the processing of personal data is necessary to establish business relationships, whereby you strictly adhere to the data protection guidelines. Customers are invited to take their rights in relation to their data.