Overview
- France’s five biggest supermarket fuel sellers, in a letter reported Wednesday, asked the prime minister to withdraw the draft, calling it unjust and saying the five‑day price reference could force stations to sell at a loss.
- Matignon says no decision has been made as the text goes to the National Consumer Council and the Council of State for review.
- The proposal would limit each station’s margin to its January–February average once pump prices cross roughly €1.71 per litre, with the reference price tied to a rolling five‑day Rotterdam quotation and a stated end date of 31 August 2026.
- Industry and consumer groups say any cap would shave only a few centimes because retail margins hover around €0.27–€0.28 per litre, with diesel near €2.31 and petrol around €2.00 on recent averages.
- Retailers instead urge suspending energy‑efficiency certificate fees that fund home upgrades, which they say add about €0.12–€0.17 per litre, while the government continues to reject broad tax cuts or a full price freeze.