French diesel prices top €2.40 a litre as European fuel costs hit records

On Sunday, French diesel prices soared to a record €2.41 per litre, according to an AFP analysis. This spike followed EU petrol and diesel prices hitting record highs last week, as reported by the European Commission. The soaring fuel costs have been attributed to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, particularly the war between the United States and Iran, as well as the ongoing unrest in Yemen and the attacks on Saudi Arabia's energy infrastructure.

To reach the conclusion, the AFP news agency calculated the average price at 10:30 am Central European Summer Time (CEST), based on the prices displayed by over 8,700 petrol stations on the French Ministry of Economy's website. The figure surpassed the previous record set the day before. At over €2.17 per litre on Sunday morning, the most popular fuel in France, SP95-E10, had been above its 2022 peak for more than ten days.

Pollution from diesel vehicles has become a growing concern, with France being one of the most expensive countries for fuel last week. The European Commission's weekly data release showed that France's average diesel price was €2.29 on September 14, the same date used in the European Commission's data release. Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Finland were among the countries with higher fuel prices at the time for both petrol and diesel.

The fuel price hikes have fueled social tensions in several countries, prompting the French government to fear a repeat of the "yellow vest" protests that began in 2018 over fuel price hikes. Liviu Brown, policy officer at Euroconsumers, noted that the recent increases were adding to the pressures households have been facing for some time. She said, "For consumers, it's more like a tight squeeze - a slow, tight squeeze," as people have been struggling with their energy costs, housing expenses, and food costs.

Euroconsumers' latest affordability survey, conducted before the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, indicated that approximately 30% of consumers were struggling with energy costs, while 44% were struggling with car expenses. The organization's survey revealed that the cost of living was expected to worsen in 2026 by 72% of respondents. Brown warned that higher energy prices would impact consumers across the board, leading to increased energy, transport, food, and other household expenses.