Elisabeth Borne announces that authorized distributors are allowed to sell gasoline “at a loss” for “a few months”.
The government will allow distributors to sell gasoline “at a loss” for a few months in order to enable them to “further lower prices,” announces Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne in an interview posted online on Saturday, September 16, on Le Parisien’s website.
“I cannot reword”
The head of the government did not accept the opposition’s proposals, which either demanded a refund like a year ago or a decrease in gasoline taxation to cope with the soaring fuel prices, which have reached 2 euros per liter.
“I cannot reword”
“I cannot reword”
Cette annonce a suscité la stupeur de Francis Pousse, président du syndicat professionnel Mobilians qui représente 5 800 stations-service traditionnelles (hors grandes surfaces) dont 3 400 stations affichant l’enseigne TotalEnergies. Alors que TotalEnergies a déjà plafonné le prix des carburants à 1,99 euro le litre dans la plupart de ses stations, M. Pousse voit dans cette nouvelle mesure une réponse aux grandes surfaces, leur permettant « de se battre » sur ce marché ultra-concurrentiel, alors que le prix de marché « va bientôt dépasser les 1,99 euro ».
“I cannot reword”
M. Pousse also expresses skepticism about the impact of this measure on purchasing power, as if the prices of suppliers to large retailers continue to rise, they will not be able to “afford to lose 15 cents on every liter of gasoline”. He is expecting “quick and firm commitments” from the government to protect its members from this “market deregulation”.
“I am surprised by the statements made by Fabien Roussel,” said Elisabeth Borne.
Interrogée sur les propos du secrétaire national du Parti communiste, Fabien Roussel, qui a appelé cette semaine les Français « à envahir les stations-service et les grandes surfaces », MmeBorne is “surprised” by these statements that are not “typical of her”.
“I called him to tell him that it was a very bad message and that politicians should be very careful with their words in a context where there may be anger among some of our fellow citizens,” she explains.
Regarding purchasing power, the head of the government rejects the proposal of the National Rally, which advocates for the elimination of VAT on food products, urging the far-right party to read “the studies that have proven that reducing from 5.5% to 0% is often not reflected in prices.”
