According to a specialist, last fall’s strikes in French refineries are the cause of the current surge in gasoline prices. Blame it on a destabilization of the supply chain and the lack of competition.
French gasoline fuel motorists have undoubtedly noticed: the prices at the pump increase sharply at the start of the year. Between the January 1 and 30the liter of SP95 has increased by 25 euro cents on average (from €1.69/L to €1.94/L). Its E10 version thus underwent a even greater increase, of 27 cents (€1.66/L to €1.93/L) over the same period.
On a longer time scale, one yearthe price of the SP95 has increased by 19 cents euro on average. An increase due to a very French problemaccording to Emmanuel Lechypre, of RMC. Blame the strikes experienced last autumn, which have destabilized the supply chain in fuel:
“At the time, the primary concern of distributors was to ensure supply and replenish their stocks, not to find the cheapest gasoline, nor to engage in fierce competition. Moreover, in supermarkets, there were far fewer operations at cost price. »
Higher margins for distributors
However, distributors also have took advantage of the shortage situation to increase their marginsas Emmanuel Lechypre always explains:
“It must be recognized that distributors have taken advantage of the situation to recover their margins on the backs of consumers. That, concretely, it is not sure that it will last very long. Large retailers will be forced to resume their operations. But there is indeed a French phenomenon. »
Excluding tax, the liter of Sans Plomb has increased by 19 cents in France, three times more than any other country in the Euro zone. Emmanuel Lechypre explains why. #CharlesMatin pic.twitter.com/aNvWFJ8N9z
— RMC (@RMCInfo) January 30, 2023
An increase that cannot be explained in this way not by the origin of the fuel, unlike diesel mostly worked in Russia. The majority of French gasoline is indeed refined in refineries in France. The rising energy costs are also not enough, on its own, to explain this escalation in prices. This last one is three times higher to that experienced by our neighbors in the euro zone, also affected by the increase in the cost of energy.
In the meantime, a liter of gasoline is now 7.5% more expensive than our European neighbors. A year ago it was 10% cheaper.
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