New statistics from the French government on Monday revealed that around 16 percent of France’s petrol stations were experiencing fuel shortages. That reflected a jump of 3 percent on Sunday's figure. In some departments, more than a quarter were impacted, the new figures showed.
Out of almost 10,000 petrol stations across France, 16 percent were running short of at least one type of fuel, according to official figures published on Monday 21st September.
The worst hit region was the Pays de la Loire, where an average of 20 percent of petrol stations were impacted, government data revealed. In certain départements, including Indre-et-Loire, it was over one in four.
In the Grand-Est region an average of 19 percent of stations were experiencing shortages of fuel on Monday, with the Bas-Rhine and Belfort départements - where problems were affecting between 25 and 50 percent - suffering most.
Centre-Val de Loire, Ile-de-France and Normandy were all seeing an average of 18 percent of stations hit by fuel shortages, and in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the figure stood at 17 percent.
The official government website where figures are reported states: “A station is considered to be out of stock when at least one type of fuel (petrol or diesel) is missing. If the station has a category of one product, petrol or diesel, the station is not counted among those in difficulty."
It’s worth noting that these figures can change rapidly depending on deliveries: a station that runs out of fuel in the morning may be resupplied a few hours later.
Global disruption to oil supplies
The problem stems from rising petrol prices linked to the war in Iran and the renewed conflict in Yemen and attacks on Saudi Arabia's energy infrastructure intensifying the problem in recent days.
At over €2.17 per litre on Sunday morning, based on an average recorded at more than 6,700 petrol stations, SP95-E10 -- the best-selling fuel in France -- has been trading above its 2022 peak for more than 10 days.
READ MORE: Average French diesel prices hit record 2.41 euros
Drivers are filling up at the cheapest pumps to avoid excessive costs, which is inevitably leading to shortages at some stations.
Total sees more shortages
Although the government's figures don't distinguish between distribution networks, TotalEnergies's petrol stations - where a price cap was implemented earlier in the year (unleaded SP95 is capped at €1.99/litre) - are particularly impacted by the shortages,
The Deputy Minister for Energy, Maud Bregeon, said in a statement that "many drivers are rushing to these pumps, leading to an increase in sales volume. The station doesn't have time to restock, creating a panic."
According to data shared by Roole Media, the vast majority of supply difficulties with SP95-E10 are currently concentrated in TotalEnergies stations, with 33 percent out of fuel on 17th September.
What’s the government saying?
Last week, at the Council of Ministers, President Emmanuel Macron asked the government for its "full mobilization" on "supply" and "price control" for fuel.
At the same time, the Deputy Minister for Energy, Bregeon said, "I want to reassure people once again that the supply chains are not facing any abnormal difficulties compared to usual."
However, as we reported over the weekend, the increases have fueled social tensions in many countries, with the French government fearing a repeat of the so-called yellow vest protests that began in 2018 against fuel price hikes.
READ MORE: MAP - How to find the cheapest fuel as French petrol prices reach record high
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