For several months, fuel prices have been hovering around two euros per litre. A tariff which, in a context of general inflation, weighs more and more on the household budget.
« There you go, reduced by 120 euros! », says a man at the exit of a service station in the Ajaccio region. With a slow step, the septuagenarian returns to his vehicle, a utility vehicle, and turns on the engine. He will say no more, assuring that the price he has just paid ” worth all the explanations ».
The establishment in which he stopped displays 1.93 euro per liter of unleaded and 1.88 per liter of diesel. Like him, the majority of the island population, dependent on cars, watches with apprehension the almost daily fluctuations in the price of gasoline. « I am very careful. Now I stop refueling almost at the last moment, although I know it’s not the best solution, smiled Mary. I have a small salary and I think that in recent months my gas budget must have doubled. »
The pump clicks. Sign that refueling is complete. On the meter, the figure displays almost 70 euros. Mary makes no comment. She just nods toward the award followed by a knowing look. A look that could say: « You see ? ». Before entering the small building to pay, she explains: « It’s simple, with the increase in absolutely everything, I can’t swerve anymore and I’m crossing my fingers that there’s nothing unforeseen. »
In order to offset the galloping increase in fuel prices, the government introduced a rebate at the pump of 30 cents per liter and then 10 cents. Aid that ended on December 31 to be replaced by a more targeted device: compensation of 100 euros for the 10 million poorest households. Initially scheduled until February 28, 2023, the latter has been extended until March 31, 2023.
This compensation can, for some, be supplemented by the cap at 1.99 euro per liter of unleaded and diesel put in place in Total service stations. Active since March 1, and until the end of 2023, the measure is, for the time being, not applied in Corsica.
A false aid according to a business manager eating in one of the group’s service stations. « Prices should be permanently controlled. Obviously I am in favor of these measures, but we must also keep in mind that when prices are normal, if we can put it that way, these groups make a profit. pharamineux », he believes.
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Specializing in construction, it has a fleet of around ten professional vehicles. « It is enormous… Enormous. The more the price increases, the more we take on our margin. But in the end, it’s a dead loss for the company. It would be unjustified to increase our travel prices by 10 euros for our customers, especially since everything is also increasing for them, so you can’t increase like that “, he specifies.
That morning, one of his trucks drove to Vico.« To get there, you have to pass two passes from Ajaccio. So, in addition to the price of fuel, consumption is necessarily more high », he continues.
If for the moment, nothing is to report on the island, the Total refineries have started their fourth day of strike against the pension reform, this Friday 10 mars. A movement that raises fears of possible shortages, and thus rushes in service stations.