On the road to vacation, many motorists stop at motorway rest areas in search of a few liters of fuel. And the bill is often steep. We explain why.
According to the observations of BFMTV on the A1 motorway between Paris and Lille, the liter of SP95 costs 2.06 euros per liter, i.e. a full tank of 23 liters at 48 euros compared to 44 euros if this tank had been filled in the city, a difference of 9%. Overall, the gap between prices on motorways and in town is reaching new heights: +14 cents on average per liter of SP95.
Often, motorists wait until they are on the highway to refuel, but currently the differences with service stations on the national or departmental network are particularly significant.
“People on the highway are a little more trapped and a little less inclined to take detours. As in the seaside resorts, coffee is more expensive, on the highway the prices are more expensive, it’s the law of supply and demand “confirms Pierre Auclair, general manager of Essence & Co.
High operating costs
As we wrote in 2022, distributors give as an explanation for the high operating costs: price of the dealership and salaries of staff generally present 24/7. Distributors must also pay a royalty to the distribution companies. highways, which increases their costs.
We must also take into account the logistical costs inherent to businesses present on motorway service areas. Rest areas scattered along the motorway network are sometimes far from warehouses, which generates additional delivery costs.
In fact, the areas are required to be open permanently, but also to provide toilets and showers free of charge for truck drivers. So many services have a cost that merchants pass on in the prices they charge.
