The cost of fuel continues to weigh on the wallets of the French. In an interview on Sunday evening, Emmanuel Macron announced that he would ask distributors to “ sell gasoline at cost price “. This Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne received stakeholders from the fuel industry. Announcements came out.
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Operations for selling gasoline at cost price are becoming clearer, particularly on the mass distribution side. From this Friday, Carrefour and Leclerc will not make any margin on fuel. Casino, Cora and Intermarché have committed to carrying out such operations two weekends per month, and one weekend per month for Système U and Auchan. This is in addition to the fuel cap by TotalEnergies at €1.99 per liter.
4,000 stations are affected by this sale at cost price on French territory, until the end of the year, and perhaps extended into 2024. For the moment, it is impossible to know what the actual price reductions will be. the pump.
The impact of cost prices, however, is likely, as the sector itself admits, to be “ quite marginal “, because mass distribution only sells fuels with margins of ” a few cents », recalls Patrice Geoffron, professor at Paris-Dauphine PSL University.
Furthermore, these cost price operations could have perverse effects on the network of independent stations, which do not depend on large French distributors but on foreign operators like Esso or BP, who continue to sell at market price, underlined Francis Pousse, president of the Mobilians professional union. Of around 2,400 of them, “ the gap will widen » in terms of price and therefore attractiveness and « we therefore risk damaging part of the profession », pointed out Mr. Pousse. These independent stations obtain an additional five million euros for the compensation fund, a fund which allows them to prepare their transition to electric terminals.
At the same time, the government is launching an inspection mission on the margins of the fuel sector. Objective: more transparency on the costs of refining, transport and distribution. The results of this mission will be “ delivered at the beginning of December » and discussions will continue on “ efforts “additional things that each of the actors could do” upstream and downstream “, indicated the government.
(With AFP)