Hauts-de-France locals flock to Belgian stores for cheaper fuel and tobacco

Households in northern France are continuing to make regular shopping trips across the border into Belgium, according to the latest figures from France’s national statistics office INSEE, as differences in prices on everyday goods remain a key factor shaping consumer behaviour.

Nearly one in two households in the Hauts-de-France region made at least one purchase in Belgium during the year, the most recent INSEE analysis, published in 2025 and based on 2024 data, shows. The study highlights that cross-border shopping remains a well-established habit in border areas, alongside trips to Luxembourg and Germany, with consumers mainly drawn by fuel, tobacco, alcohol and household products.

In 2024, 48% of households in the region used their bank card at least once in Belgium for an in-person purchase, spending an average of €840 per household. This represents 3.1% of total physical spending and 58.5% of spending abroad. The activity is particularly concentrated in the Nord department, where around 70% of households account for most cross-border spending.

Fuel and tobacco remain the main drivers of these purchases. INSEE data shows that 26% of spending in Belgium is made at petrol stations, compared with 9% in France, while 12% is spent in tobacconists, compared with just 1% domestically. These goods have historically been cheaper in Belgium, although recent tax increases have started to reduce the price gap. A 25% rise in Belgian tobacco taxes introduced in January 2024 contributed to a 5.3% decline in cross-border spending compared with the previous year, according to INSEE.

Weekend travel is also a defining feature of the trend, with 37% of spending taking place on Saturdays or Sundays, suggesting that many households combine shopping trips with leisure activities.

INSEE stressed that price differences remain the central factor behind the behaviour. Roselys Rakotomandimby, press officer and external communications manager at INSEE Hauts-de-France, said the study “highlights the role of price differences between both sides of the border, particularly for fuel and tobacco”.

She added comparing retail prices on either side of the border remains the most effective way to understand the incentives behind cross-border purchasing.

Analysts note that while the trend is largely limited to households living close to Belgium, it continues to have an impact on retailers in northern France.