Total commits to no longer close service stations in France. In 40 years, the number of gas stations has been divided by three.
It is a drama that contributes to the feeling of downgrading in certain territories.
In 38 departments (like Corrèze, Cantal or Lozère), it takes an average of 15 to 38 minutes to find a gas station.
The stations close one after the other, 47 closed again last year. He arrived with gas stations what happened with small businesses. The massive influx of large-scale retailers (which today account for 60% of sales) has broken prices, selling gasoline at cost, has eliminated all small independent distributors.
Sometimes, to keep stations open, it is the municipalities that had to take the stations and run them, in a public service logic.
Why does Total commit to no longer close stations, by philanthropy?
It is true that next to the large distribution, it remains essentially Total which represents 3,500 stations.
Invited by the Echoes this Thursday, Patrick Pouyané (the boss of Total) has "committed to not close any gas station on the territory."
Total has been able to cope with ultra-low cost economic logic, Total Access stations. The margin is, however, very small since it represents barely a penny of the liter.
Without being able to make volume in the countryside, we must do a lot of services such as bakeries, grocery stores, post offices or cafes to get by. And it works.
We can also talk about a logic of territory, Total wants to keep a link and a physical presence. "Very often, the resort is the ultimate trade of some remote areas" said Thursday Patrick Pouyané. It says a lot about this feeling of abandonment, when the last place to live to socialize a village is the gas station.