For once, the sharp rise in fuel prices observed since the end of September is not entirely attributable to the rise in oil prices or the fall in the value of the euro against the dollar. The main responsible is in France. And it can be summed up in one word: scarcity.
The average price of diesel established this Tuesday at the end of the morning by the site plein-moins-cher.fr reached just over 1.93 euros, 23 cents more than two weeks ago. For the super unleaded 95 E-10, we were at 1.68 euros, an increase of 16 cents per liter compared to the end of September. Over such a short period of time, this is an increase that can be described as highly unusual.
This does not mean that all gas stations are taking advantage of the situation. We are talking about averages here and, furthermore, we do not know if wholesalers have also been forced to buy their fuel more expensively because of the strike in some of the French fuel depots.
Intensify DGCCRF controls
On the other hand, one thing is certain: right now the law of supply and demand is in full play… to the detriment of consumers. When you know you’re going to have the most difficulty finding a station that has fuel, you’re less careful about pricing. And in any case less inclined to play the competition.
In this specific context, what is the government doing to prevent these abuses? Before answering this question, it is worth remembering that the prices are free. Even in normal times, various gas stations sell their fuel at a much higher price than others.
The Ministry of Ecological Transition Agnès Pannier-Runacher, in charge of this file, assures that the controls of the DGCCRF have been reinforced to verify that the rules of the competition are respected. In theory, it is possible to penalize professionals who sell products or services at an excessively high price. But you still have to prove it.
Rocard and Bérégovoy had limited the margins by decree
In order not to have to prove the abuses, couldn’t the State limit the level of the margins by decree? This was already done, in 1990, under the socialist government headed by Michel Rocard. It is often wrongly said that fuel prices were frozen at the time. In reality, Pierre Bérégovoy, then Minister of the Economy, Finance and Budget, had just imposed a limit on the margins of fuel distributors.
The latter had been set at a level that today corresponds to ten cents per liter, with modulations, upwards or downwards, depending on the departments. The margin is defined by decree as the difference between the wholesale price of the fuel on the Rotterdam wholesale market and the (excluding tax) charged at the pump, thus including transport.
At this stage, the government does not intend to follow this example at all. The idea is rather to put an end to the strike at the refineries and fuel depots at the origin of this shortage. In particular, through the use of the requisition weapon.
Source: BFM TV
