Background information

In France, fuel prices at the pump climbed rapidly, with diesel reaching a weekly average record not seen since 1985. In this context, TotalEnergies announced on 13 March 2026 a voluntary price-cap initiative across its network of 3,300 service stations in France, aiming to shield consumers from the most acute effects of market volatility.

The ceilings were revised on 8 April 2026. On 30 April, TotalEnergies, announced that they will maintain the measure as for as long as the Middle East crisis lasts.

The measure has become a focal point in the national debate over windfall profits. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu publicly encouraged TotalEnergies to apply a 'generous price cap' as a means of redistributing exceptional profits, while left-wing parliamentary groups called for a dedicated windfall profits tax (taxe sur les superprofits).

Content of measure

The measure was put in place on 13 March 2026. It was initially set at €1.99/L for petrol and €2.09/L for diesel, then adjusted on 8 April to €1.99/L for petrol and €2.25/L for diesel, as international crude prices continued to rise. On 30 April 2026, the company confirmed the cap would be maintained throughout May and 'for as long as the crisis in the Middle East lasts'.

The initiative is entirely funded by TotalEnergies (no public funding involved), which reported exceptional Q1 2026 profits of €4.96 billion (up 51% year-on-year, and double the Q4 2025 figure). A specific benefit is granted to the 714,000 customers enrolled in the company's 'fuel advantage' (avantage carburant) loyalty scheme, who pay a maximum of €1.99/L regardless of fuel type and location, including motorway stations, throughout 2026.

Use of measure

No information available.

Contents

• Pay freezes or cuts

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
Company / Companies	Companies

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement as case not in social partner domain	No involvement as case not in social partner domain
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: Company level

Involvement

No involvement.

Views and reactions

The CGT trade union has criticised the initiative as insufficient, arguing that broader regulatory price controls on fuels are needed, and pointing to the gap between production costs (around €0.60/L, excl. tax) and retail prices (around €2/L for diesel) as evidence of speculative pricing by oil majors.

Sources

• 30 April 2026: TotalEnergies maintiendra sa politique de plafonnement des carburants en France tant que la crise au Moyen-Orient durera (totalenergies.com)