January 1, 2023 marked not only the advent of a new year, but also the end of a system which had proved to be life-saving for a large number of French motorists. Indeed, New Year’s Eve marked the end of the famous rebate at the gas pump. Amounting to 30 cents from the State, to which was added a 20 cents rebate from the company TotalEnergies, these reductions had been implemented following the explosion in petrol prices after the beginning of the war in Ukraine.
The embargo on Russian oil continues and prices are moving accordingly. The end of discounts led to a mechanical increase in the price per liter of almost 13 cents on diesel and up to 20 cents on unleaded. At first, the shock was not too harsh for motorists, who had nevertheless anticipated, going so far as to form very long queues in front of service stations during the last days of 2022, as reported by our colleagues from BFM TV.
However, from the second week of January, prices resumed their relentless ascent. On this day, prices are very dangerously close to the barrier of 2 euros per liter: in some stations, they even cross it. The situation is all the more worrying for the purchasing power of the French people as it is the crossing of this same limit which had justified the establishment of rebates.
However, a renewal of such aid is absolutely not in sight at the moment. Since January, the fuel allowance of 100 euros has taken over. However, this fuel voucher aims to further narrow the number of beneficiaries of these fuel aids. Indeed, the said check is only granted to the 10 million most modest workers.
Find below the 59 departments in which the price of fuel per liter has already exceeded 2 euros, according to Carburants.org.
