Diesel prices in France have fallen by between 12 and 18 cents per litre at more than half of the country’s service stations, Commerce Minister Serge Papin said on Monday. The reduction matches the level promised by the government in October after it announced the release of strategic fuel reserves.
The measure involves selling 10 million barrels of diesel from the reserves to distributors at cost for three months. The government said the fuel would be offered at a price three to four times below the current market price, with the aim of bringing down prices for consumers.
Speaking on RTL, Papin said distributors were implementing the measure and that the stations already offering lower prices served most of the French population. He said the stations concerned could provide access to reduced prices for more than half of the population, or as much as 80%.
However, independent service stations have complained that they did not benefit from the stock releases at the same time as supermarkets and TotalEnergies. Francis Pousse of Mobilians, which represents independent stations, described the price differences as unacceptable and said the government’s commitments did not match the measures implemented.
Papin rejected that criticism, saying the government had established a zero-interest loan scheme with Pousse to help smaller independent stations lower their prices. He said those stations might not be able to reduce prices immediately, but should be able to do so during the week.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu also welcomed the reduction, saying it was effective from Monday and could reach 18 cents per litre or more. He estimated that the measure could save about 10 euros on a full tank and said the state would ensure that the benefit from the release of the strategic reserves was passed on in full to consumers.
Sources: Le Monde Économie.