PRICE OF PETROL. Fuel prices stabilized at the beginning of the week with however the specter of difficult supplies due to refinery blockages. As a reminder, Total has announced a cap on fuel prices since March 1.
[Updated March 10, 2023 at 9:47 a.m.] Good news for motorists, soaring fuel prices are experiencing a small lull according to reports from the Ministry of Ecological Transition. The price of a liter of unleaded 95-E10 averaged 1.8618 euros per litre, a drop of 0.7 cents in one week. Drivers of diesel vehicles will have less luck at the pump since the liter of diesel is displayed on average at 1.812 euros per liter, or 0.2 cents more than the previous week.
As a reminder, TotalEnergies has implemented the cap promised by its CEO Patrick Pouyanné, from March 1 to December 31, 2023. The price of fuel at Total stations may not exceed 1.99 euros. The French oil group has indicated that all fuels, gasoline and diesel, will be affected (Diesel Premier B7, Diesel Premier B10, SP95-E10, SP95-E5, Superethanol E85). Only unleaded 98 and Excellium diesel are not affected by this price limitation due to their primary quality. With the end of the rebates granted by the Government, the price of fuel had started to rise again since the beginning of the year. An increase that went badly with motorists, especially after the announcement of record profits in 2022, up to 19 billion euros, on February 8.
On Monday March 6, 2023, the average prices for liters of fuel observed and recorded by the Ministry of Ecological Transition were 1.812 for diesel, an average of 0.2 cents more than the previous week. The liter of unleaded 95 E10 was displayed on average at 1.8618 euros. Between the beginning of January and the beginning of March 2023, prices rose on average in France by three cents for unleaded and fell by eight cents for diesel after a strong surge in January.
The last peak was observed in mid-November during the reduction of government aid with an average price of 1.9059 for diesel and 1.7514 for unleaded 95 E10. The reason for the price hike? The international context, especially with the sanctions taken against Russia following the start of the war in Ukraine. The European Union has opted for a gradual boycott of Russian oil, which leads to an increase in demand for oil from other regions, in particular the Arabian Peninsula, and ultimately in prices. Oil prices steadily crossed the 100 dollar mark per barrel in March 2022 before stabilizing around 80 euros per barrel.
In addition to moderating your travels, practicing carpooling if you can, the best thing is still to compare the prices charged in the service stations around your home. Tedious? Not that much since many sites offer this service on the internet. You can also refer to the official government website, combustible.gouv.fr, which offers to find the prices that must be indicated to the State by the managers of service stations.
L’appli Essence
The government site “prix.carburant.gouv.fr” also offers price statements by department and type of fuel (be careful to differentiate unleaded 95, 98 or E10). Price quotes are updated weekly. Something to help you find the cheapest gas station(s) through an interactive map listing the gas stations near you.
As you have noticed, there are sometimes sometimes significant price differences depending on the service station: between distributor brands (supermarkets in particular) and oil group stations, the difference can sometimes seem significant. It is explained by various parameters, including the brand image, but also the famous additives. You may know them by their trade name. Excellium fuel, for example in the Total network, contains many additives. Incorporated into the fuel, they are used to improve its quality and therefore its performance. Also intended to protect the engine or the tank, they also act on the prices, higher, which occasionally gives rise to controversy over their usefulness. Marketing argument used to justify these prices or real profit for the car, the debate is lively.
What is the share of taxes in the price of gasoline at the pump? According to Total, taxes represent “the most important part of the price of fuel”. In 2018, according to the company, the taxes collected by the State represented for example “63% of the price of Unleaded 95-E10 and 60% of that of diesel”. Gasoline tax is in fact divided into two different taxes: VAT, and the domestic consumption tax on energy products (TICPE). There is also the general tax on polluting activities (TGAP). The TICPE is also higher on gasoline than on diesel. Depending on gasoline prices, the TICPE represents nearly 70 cents on gasoline, 60 cents on the price of a liter of diesel.
