Between rising oil prices and an ever-increasing confiscation tax fuel prices continues to grow in France. And it is unlikely that the situation will improve in the near future, as the European Union wants to introduce a new additional fuel tax from 2027.

To help French motorists in this more than difficult period for their budgets, we have witnessed the flourishing of various operations such as fuel at cost in large retail chains or even special discount on fuel in TotalEnergies.

Fuel prices: Leclerc wants to restore discounts

This Wednesday, January 25, 2023, Michel-Edouard Leclerc was the guest of Apollin de Malerbe on the set of BFMTV. On this occasion, the head of the store’s strategic committee, E. Leclerc, announced his desire resume operations with fuel discounts : “We want to make fuel cheaper and will conduct operations”– he said about this.

A few months ago, Michel-Edouard Leclerc told our colleagues at France Info that he did not appreciate the discounts applied by TotalEnergies, which apply to customers of the oil group’s network but not to distributor customers. On BFMTV, he also gave his comments on this exceptional discount which has resulted in several fuel shortage at many TotalEnergies service stations, although the refinery strike is also unrelated to the situation.

Leclerc does not want to be responsible for the fuel shortage

In the context of renewed strikes in various French trade unions, this time in opposition to the French government’s pension reform project, Michel-Edouard Leclerc expressed his concern about a new deficit situationand most importantly, he does not want the service stations of Leclerc stores to become a source of new excitement for pumps:

“Technically today I shouldn’t push the fuel attractiveness button too hard or we’ll disrupt supply chains”– said the manager of the Leclerc stores, who, however, did not specify when he wants to create a new operation to reduce the price of fuel.

To a new shortage of fuel?

In the current tense social context, Mr. Leclerc explained his uncertainty about terms of supplywhich may be violated due to multiple hits. “We don’t know if deposits will be blocked”he regrets: “Our warehouses are full, but they are emptied in a week”.

Traffic at service stations in Leclerc centers increased last week: “Last week, we achieved +50% sales at our service stations. Our tanks were empty even before sunset, and after that we didn’t sell anything else.”, he says into the BFMTV microphone. The continuation of the strike movement, which risks being prolonged, may well lead to a new shortage situation, such as we experienced last autumn.

Source: BFM TV