On the way to vacation, many drivers fill up on the motorways. With prices at the pump certainly higher, but with the practical side of course of not having to go out and thus potentially saving a little time on the journey.
If you choose to refuel at a rest area, is it worth stopping at supermarket chain service stations, which are reputed to be cheaper? E. Leclerc, one of France’s leading fuel distributors, operates 23 service stations on motorways, according to the report. E. Leclerc’s official websiteof the 715 stations that the distributor owns in France.
What is the price difference on the highway?
The price difference is of course felt at off-highway dispensing stations. This is what we can see with our two graphs below. At Leclerc, the average price charged for a litre of diesel off-highway is currently €1.644 per litre, compared to €1.869 per litre on the motorway.
22.5 cents difference, or 11.25 euros more for a 50-litre tank. A significant difference which is also explained by the return of cost-price operations at Leclerc and its competitors in large retail, but which does not apply to motorway stations. Unfortunately, the brand refused our request for comment on this subject.
This difference is also true for oil companies, such as Total, where diesel costs 1.727 euros per litre off motorways compared to 1.821 euros per litre on motorways. The difference is, however, less marked, at 9.4 cents, which still represents 4.70 euros more for a 50-litre tank.
Fuel for supermarkets is primarily a loss-making product and is therefore sold at a lower price than at petrol stations in order to attract customers who will then make their purchases at hypermarkets. This is why there is a significant price difference between fuel prices at mass retailers and at petrol stations.
A variable interest depending on the highways
If it would therefore be more interesting to refuel at Leclerc than at oil distributors such as Total or Esso, what happens on the motorways, if we look at concrete examples on different routes?
To compare prices, we consulted motorway service station prices on the Zagaz community site and on the specific pages of certain motorway service areas when prices were not up to date.
First example: the A6 between Paris and Lyon. On this route, the average price at Total and Esso is €1.873 per litre of diesel, compared to €1,767 at Leclerc, i.e. a gain of €5.30 with a 50-litre tank (and €5.50 with unleaded 95-E10 petrol).
But on the A13 between Caen and Paris, the opposite is true: the price of a litre of diesel is €1.77 at Total and Esso, compared to €1.829 at Leclerc. So, with our 50-litre tank it will cost us €2.95 more at the supermarket (and €2.78 for a tank of petrol).
On the A10 between Paris and Bordeaux, Leclerc is once again the winner, saving €3.20, still with this 50-litre diesel tank (and €3.10 with a petrol tank).
Finally, prices are very similar on our last chosen route, on the A7 between Lyon and Marseille: you will save just 25 cents on a 50-litre tank of diesel by going to Leclerc, rather than the average price of Total and Esso.
Other tips to reduce your fuel budget
There is no magic formula for reducing your bill, but comparing prices to determine the most interesting ones and stopping accordingly to stock up can be a good idea.
Check the prices of the stations on the signs in front of the areas offering service stations, on certain GPS navigators or on dedicated applications such as Essence&Co, SLMC or Fuel Flash.
In Google Maps, if you have started your trip, you can click on the magnifying glass again to start a “route search”, which will show the gas stations, but without increasing the prices.
In Waze, you can do the same by clicking on the magnifying glass and the “Fuel” icon. Prices and the detour time required to get to the station are displayed. You can configure your preferred fuel and brands.
Source: BFM TV
