French supermarkets to sell fuel cost price this weekend
Supermarkets hope it will entice people to do their shopping at the same time
E.Leclerc is not the only supermarket to offer such a deal this summer
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Major supermarkets E.Leclerc and Système U (which manages Super U stores) will sell fuel at cost price this weekend (August 2 - 3) in order to entice customers to the checkouts.
E.Leclerc will also sell fuel at cost price the weekend of August 14 - 16, the thirf time this summer.
More than 700 service stations run by the supermarket sold fuel at cost price last weekend (July 19 - July 21), with the company saying prices per litre of fuel were “at least 12c or 13c cheaper,” than petrol stations run by TotalEnergies.
Around 725 stores will participate this weekend.
President of the company Michel-Édouard Leclerc said the service stations taking part would be spread around France, allowing both those leaving for summer holidays, and those remaining in rural areas less tourists visit, will benefit.
You can use the E.Leclerc website to check fuel prices at service stations close to you (or your route, if you are travelling) to see if they are participating.
Fuel ‘war’ this summer between supermarkets
Supermarkets often sell fuel at cost price, as it is a common strategy employed by larger supermarkets in the hope that customers filling up their tanks will do their shopping at the same time, counteracting for the loss of revenue from fuel sales and bringing in larger profits.
Rival chain Intermarché sold fuel at cost price on July 5 - 6 this summer, but has not committed to another weekend of doing so.
TotalEnergies will maintain its €1.99 per litre fuel cap in service stations until the end of 2024.
Read more: TotalEnergies confirm car fuel price cap for whole of 2024 in France
