Small service stations “have not received strategic fuel stocks and cannot lower prices”, warns Francis Pousse, of the Mobilians network

The government has chosen to favor the largest distributors in the provision of strategic stocks of diesel, denounces Sunday November 1 on franceinfo Francis Pousse, national president of fuel and new energy distributors at Mobilians, which notably represents independent service stations. It warns of the risks of closing small stations, particularly in rural areas, due to failure to pass on the price reductions announced by the major brands.

Contrary to what had been announced, small local wholesalers who supply rural service stations in particular "have not received strategic stocks and therefore cannot lower prices", warns Francis Pousse. A situation "totally contrary" to the commitments made to the sector, in particular by the Prime Minister's office, which had assured that it wanted to guarantee equal treatment throughout the territory.

The representative of independent distributors fears unsustainable competition for small stations, which risk having to maintain prices around 2.50 euros per liter for several more weeks, facing large distributors who can lower their prices. To preserve the future of small stations, "the instruction I gave to some who can no longer take it is not to order fuel for the moment", affirms Francis Pousse, with the possibility that some find themselves "closed doors", particularly in rural areas. “They cannot put themselves in danger,” he assumes, referring to the risk of ending up with “zero customers” and fuel stocks to pay.

He now fears an acceleration in the permanent closures of service stations. While 50 to 80 establishments usually disappear each year, he fears that this figure will be “multiplied by two or three in 2026”. To avoid this situation, he calls for "accelerating this provision of strategic stocks to small suppliers", a measure that has become "vital" in his eyes.

Received next Tuesday in Bercy, Francis Pousse intends to ask the government to respect its commitments. “It’s enough to endure, we really need action,” he warns.

“I cannot let the part of my members who are not under the TotalEnergies flag waste away like this. It is absolutely unthinkable.”

The aid offered by the State, in the form of a loan whose interest is covered within the limit of 5,000 euros per station, is not enough, according to him. “What we were asking for was a subsidy which was intended to allow margins to be reduced immediately,” he recalls. Since the start of the crisis, small stations have lost “between 20 and 40% of volume”, assures Francis Pousse. “Go ask the bank for money when your cash flow situation is already more than delicate,” the representative scoffs. “It’s a real problem.”