TotalEnergies will apply a discount at the pump of 20 cents per liter between September and November at all its service stations, then 10 cents per liter for the rest of the year, the French gas and oil giant announced on Friday in a press release. .
This rebate is in addition to the aid of 18 centimes granted by the government to deal with soaring fuel prices. Government aid should increase to 12 cents in October and then to 6 cents in November, before disappearing the following month.
The CMA CGM will reduce its freight rates by 750 euros per 40-foot container to mainland France and the Overseas Territories, i.e. up to 25% of its prices, instead of the 500 euros initially planned. The measure is extended to all of its customers in mainland France from August 1 and for one year, when it was to be reserved for large retailers, the group said in a press release.
TotalEnergies and the CMA CGM are in the crosshairs of parliamentarians, on the left but also in the majority, who want to create a tax for companies that have made significant profits thanks to inflation.
TotalEnergies announced in early February a net profit of 16 billion dollars in 2021, the highest for at least 15 years, linked to the sharp rise in oil prices.
The CMA CGM published in early June a net profit of 7.2 billion dollars for the first quarter alone. Coming out of the red in 2020, the third largest shipowner in the world is driven by the overheating of maritime transport and the disorganization of global supply chains.
– Consultation with the ministry –
The CEO of CMA CGM, Rodolphe Saadé, defended himself on Wednesday during a hearing in the Senate, stressing that he was “ready to help”, but that he did not want to be “the only one to pay” in the face of international competition.
The Minister of Economy Bruno Le Maire reacted Friday morning by welcoming the decision of TotalEnergies; it is “a fair decision, a strong decision and a good decision for consumers”, he declared on RMC / BFMTV.
“What Total makes is very significant compared to the profits” made in refining in France this year by the group, he added, while TotalEnergies is accused by several elected representatives of the opposition and the majority of making “superprofits” with soaring gas and oil prices.
TotalEnergies had already offered in February a discount of 10 cents per liter in its service stations in rural areas, representing a contribution of around 50 million euros, or 30% of its margin on its gas, electricity and fuel activities in France. It then expanded the offer to all of its stations in April.
Bruno Le Maire had called in June to continue or even increase this discount, which the tanker had increased to 12 cents, but by restricting it only to its service stations on the motorway.
“Our priority goes to consumers because we prefer to make an immediate and direct contribution for our customers, rather than an indirect tax which would penalize our refineries”, commented Friday in the press release Patrick Pouyanné, CEO of TotalEnergies.
These measures were “defined in consultation with the Ministry of the Economy”, and “were the subject of discussions with customers of the group and certain federations including the CPME (Confederation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises)”, specified Friday the CMA-CGM. “It is essential that these reductions be passed on to the prices of products intended for end consumers and that the departments of the ministry can ensure this,” the company stressed.
