Fuel prices at the pumps, a flammable issue in the early election campaign, have continued to fall in France since April, according to figures published by the Ministry of Ecological Transition.
At service stations, 95 unleaded gasoline was priced last week at 1.84 euros per liter on average, which represents a decrease of 3 cents compared to the previous week, according to figures decided on Friday and published on Monday . The 95-E10 super unleaded sold for 1.80 euros (-7 cents).
Diesel rose 9 cents to 1.68 euros per liter, after several weeks of decline. Average diesel prices in June are down 5.46% since April, a similar drop for 95 and 95-E10 unleaded gasoline (around -5%). The downward trend since April “follows the evolution of the barrel of oil,” stressed Francis Pousse, president of the professional union Mobilians (independent service stations), interviewed by AFP.
“Relatively stable” prices in the coming weeks?
In mid-April, a barrel of crude oil hit a high of $92, the highest level since October, amid fears of a possible extension of the conflict between Israel and Hamas to neighboring countries. Since then, a barrel of crude oil has returned to “usual levels, between $80 and $90” in recent weeks, despite recent decisions by the OPEC cartel to keep production cuts in place to support prices.
Although declining, the price of fuel – along with that of gas and electricity – is fueling debates in the battle for legislative elections, while the increase in energy prices since the post-Covid recovery and even more since The war in Ukraine has greatly fueled inflation and weighed on household and business budgets. Proposals from the National Assembly to reduce VAT on fuel to 5.5% have flourished, while the New Popular Front (united left) calls for freezing prices by decree.
Regarding the evolution of prices between now and the big holiday departures, Francis Pousse, of the Mobilians union, refuses to make forecasts, stating however that he is “quite confident at least in the stability” of prices. Although peaks above $90 are still possible, “we could continue to observe a period of relatively stable prices,” underlines Olivier Gantois, president of the oil industry union Ufip Energies et Mobilités.
Source: BFM TV
