Petrol price drop promised this week

DRIVERS in France should benefit from cheaper petrol by the end of this week, the union of French fuel distributors has confirmed.

The global market turmoil in recent days has seen the cost of crude oil fall by an average of 15% to its lowest level since last autumn,

The Union Française des Industries Pétrolières (Ufip) says this should be passed on to the public.

A drop in the region of five centimes per litre is likely, meaning a 50-litre top-up should be about €2.50 cheaper from this weekend.

Ufip president Jean-Louis Schilansky told Europe 1: "The price cut at the pump will be automatic and will happen this week."

Unleaded should fall below €1.50 a litre and diesel below the €1.30 mark. Almost two-thirds of French cars run on diesel.