On average, at the pump on the A1, unleaded 95 costs 14 cents more on the motorway. A captive customer base allows distributors to inflate prices.
Gasoline has always been more expensive on the highways. But currently, the differences with national network or departmental service stations are particularly significant.
Judge instead. According to BFMTV’s observations 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 by 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 who have not planned ahead prefer to stay on the highway to fill their tank. A real windfall for distributors.
Operating costs
“I prefer to do it on the highway rather than going out, trusting the GPS, at least there it’s safe,” one of them explains to BFMTV.
Is it the fact that this customer base is captive that allows distributors to raise prices?
“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.
To justify themselves, distributors also highlight high operating costs: concession prices and salaries with staff generally present 24 hours a day. Distributors also have to pay a fee to highway companies, which increases their costs. costs.
However, motorists are starting to take a closer look. With the global surge in fuel prices, in one year, gasoline sales at motorway service areas have decreased by 11.5%. The solution to saving money therefore remains to anticipate or choose national roads.
Olivier Chicheportiche Journalist BFM Business
