There is no magic wand: here's why fuel prices are falling only slightly, and why it may not last

Good news for motorists. The average price of diesel was down, to 2.283 euros, in French service stations, Monday November 2 at 4 p.m., according to official data compiled by franceinfo. The average daily price of unleaded 95 (SP95-E10), the most sold in France, and unleaded 98 (SP98) also showed a slight decrease, to 2.109 euros and 2.226 euros respectively.

This development follows the start, on Sunday, of the destocking of ten million barrels of diesel from strategic reserves, a decision taken by the government to relieve consumers' wallets. Evolution of prices at the pump since January 2026In mainland France and CorsicaSource: calculation of the average daily price from statements by service station published on fuel prices. govt.

fr. “This Monday morning, one in two stations reflected the drop” in diesel prices, assured Maud Bregeon, Minister Delegate in charge of Energy, guest of franceinfo, Monday morning. Their number "will increase in the hours and days to come depending on the filling of tanks and deliveries", estimated the government spokesperson, according to whom "the objective remains a reduction of 18 cents".

According to the latest statement from service stations, the price of diesel has, for the moment, fallen on average by just under nine cents between Saturday and Monday. Strategic stocks at knockdown prices The government announced on October 12 to make available to distributors these strategic stocks which had been purchased before the war in the Middle East and which are sold at 0.28 euros per liter, compared to around 1.10 euros on the market in mid-October, according to Matignon. Concretely, “100,000 barrels are released every day at cost price and are diluted with other purchases on the market,” explains Nicolas Goldberg, specialist in energy issues at Colombus Consulting, to franceinfo.

This diesel, three to four times cheaper than usual, represents around 20% of the volumes purchased each day by wholesalers to supply French service stations. Enough to generate a “significant price drop”, of almost 10%. “It’s the only thing the government could do and it did it, in accordance with its announcements,” greets the expert, also head of the energy division at the Terra Nova think tank.

The choice to concentrate this measure on diesel can be explained in particular by its price, now "significantly higher than the price of gasoline", which "is not usually the case", adds Patrice Geoffron, co-president of the Circle of Economists. It also mentions the use of diesel "in rural areas", in environments where motorists have "few other options, particularly in terms of public transport". Disparities at gas stations On the eve of this destocking, several major brands announced price reductions at the pump.

TotalEnergies reduced, as of Saturday, the price of diesel to 2.15 euros per liter in its 705 Access stations, its lowest-cost network, which represents 60% of its fuel , recalls AFP. This is 10 cents per liter less than the ceiling of 2.25 euros that the group applies everywhere. Its other stations, excluding motorways, were to follow from Monday, "depending on developments in international diesel markets".

Machine-translated from French