Will we ever see the end of the fuel crisis? Over the months, gas prices continue to explode, in the conditions of inflation experienced by a barrel of oil. The numbers speak for themselves: €1.90 on average per liter of diesel, compared to €1.44 before COVID. The same observation for gasoline: a liter of unleaded gasoline 95 has risen in price from 1.48 euros before the pandemic to 1.93 euros today. How to stop the phenomenon? The state introduced national aid from the first half of 2022: a fuel discount. This involved systematically capping gas station prices, sometimes with discounts of up to 30 cents depending on the month. On 1Er In January 2023, it was replaced by a fuel surcharge : an annual €100 check paid to the most modest households.
Selling fuel at a loss soon?
During the summer, The government has received from TotalEnergies a cap on fuel distributed at its stations at €1.99 per liter. This measure was extended sine die beyond December 31, 2023, as originally planned. New period, new measurement: The government wants to allow unprofitable fuel sales. In other words, asking TotalEnergies and the big retail brands to sell their fuel for less than the price they were buying it for. They are supposed to recoup their revenues by getting people to shop in their stores. The problem: none of them are ready to take on such a limitation…
Can the state force big brands to fold?
Système U, Les Mousquetaires, Leclerc, Carrefour and Total have said it: for them it is out of the question! They will never sell at a loss. But then what is left for the state? Abandon the idea or force them to comply? But is there a right at all? In theory, no, since each company is free to set the prices it wants, according to the Commercial Code.. The only solution available to the state: submit a new account apply attractive tariffs in emergency cases. But it will still need to be approved by both houses of parliament, which will take time and energy… So the government is currently deadlocked. The only measure of assistance: several distributors agreed to sell their fuel at cost for several weekends till the end of the year.
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Source: Auto Plus
Robert is an experienced journalist who has been covering the automobile industry for over a decade. He has a deep understanding of the latest technologies and trends in the industry and is known for his thorough and in-depth reporting.