Fuel shortages worsen across France, hundreds of stations entirely out of supply

Drivers in France are using their vehicles less but finding it harder to fill up, with fuel shortages hitting several departments across the country. 

Government figures from Tuesday (October 27) estimate that 11% of stations in France are out of at least one type of fuel. 

At the same time, motorists are reportedly using their vehicles less, with the supermarket and service station group Coopérative U seeing sales volumes drop by up to 40%. 

In four departments, at least 25% of service stations are out of one fuel type: Paris, Haut-Rhin, Bas-Rhin, and Territoire de Belfort. 

The latter three are at particular risk from shortages as they import much of their fuel via Germany as opposed to from French refineries. 

If there are difficulties in transporting fuel from Germany, as was the case over the summer, this can quickly lead to a lack of fuel across the eastern departments. 

Many departments in the south-west, west, and in the east and Alpine areas are seeing at least 10% of stations out of one type of fuel. 

However, service stations in Brittany, Normandy, and the south-east are less impacted, with most departments seeing shortages at between 5% to 10% of stations.

Corsica remains uniquely untouched by the shortage crisis, with no reports of shortages at any station. 

The unofficial Prix à la Pompe website suggests that 677 stations across France are entirely out of fuel today, a 21% increase from last week. 

Drop in fuel sales

The shortage comes despite a significant drop in vehicle usage across France.

Dominique Schelcher, CEO of supermarket and service station group Coopérative U, estimates that fuel sales for the company have dropped 10% since the start of the year.

Some stations run by the group have seen a 40% drop in sales volume since the start of October. 

People are no longer getting around,” Mr Schelcher said in an interview with Europe 1 today.

They are "staying home and sacrificing a great deal" because the price of fuel "is weighing too heavily on their budgets right now.”

Will fuel release help? 

Fuel prices have remained high in recent weeks, despite fluctuations in prices. 

Petrol (SP95 and SP98) has dropped by around 4.5c per litre in the last week, although diesel has increased by 0.4c per litre. 

The government will release 10 million barrels of diesel in the coming days, the country’s contribution to an estimated global release of up to 100 million barrels of oil and fuel from G7 countries over the coming months. 

The first release in France should help drop diesel prices by between 12c to 18c per litre from November 1, said the government, and will also see fuel oil for domestic heating (fioul) drop. 

The decree covering the release states that distributors must pass on the full price reduction from using the barrels to consumers, and inform them of their savings due to the measure. 

Even if all suppliers do not immediately benefit, they can start dropping prices from November 1 in anticipation of incoming cheaper fuel from the barrels. 

Unlike standard fuel reserve releases, which come in the form of loans and need to be replenished within a month, this time the barrels are being sold at cost price to suppliers, both dropping prices and easing the risk of shortages. 

Driver fuel aid opens today 

A second piece of good news for drivers in France is the second round of the €100 fuel aid that opens today. 

The aid remains limited to drivers who use their vehicle for work (either commuting or as part of their role), but income-based eligibility criteria has been expanded to accommodate more drivers.

Around 5.5 million drivers will be eligible for the new aid.

If there are two eligible drivers in the household, they can both apply (but only one application per vehicle can be made). Those who applied for the first round of the aid were immediately eligible this time around and have already received automatic payments. 

More information is available in our article here.