After the release of strategic stocks, Roland Lescure announces that the drop in diesel prices “exceeds 20 cents” in 3,000 stations

The effects of the release of strategic diesel stocks on prices at the pump are becoming more and more visible. “Today we have 3,000 stations out of 10.

000 whose drop (in price) exceeds 20 cents", Roland Lescure assured this Wednesday on RMC and BFMTV. "In concrete terms, this means that on a full tank of 45 liters we save 9 euros, it is almost 10% reduction so it is very important", added Roland Lescure. The government announced in October that it would sell at cost price to distributors ten million barrels of diesel from strategic stocks for three month, starting November 1.

An exceptional measure was decided to deal with the surge in fuel prices and energy in general caused by the war in the Middle East. Small stations not yet served At this stage, “there are 6,600 stations out of 10.

000 who have started to lower their prices, more than two thirds, sometimes including small stations", Roland Lescure further indicated. The average drop is estimated by the minister at "15 cents" and this should increase "as stocks arrive at the pumps". As of November 3, the liter of diesel was thus displayed on average at 2.23 euros, compared to 2.35 euros on October 31.

However, some small stations deplore not having yet received stocks sold at cost price. But the operation "will last three months. So even if it takes a few days to supply them, the small stations will have three months ahead of them to apply these price reductions", underlined the tenant of Bercy.

In addition, stations that would like to lower their prices even before having received the stocks sold at cost price can do so thanks to the “zero interest loan” put in place by the government, he recalled. Concretely, the State "lends them the cash which allows them" to reduce prices and "they will reimburse us at zero interest when they have cheaper stocks", concluded the minister.

Machine-translated from French