Margaux Fodéré, edited by Julien Moreau 06h31, March 22, 2023

For several days, the country's eight refineries have been blocked, and some depots have been blocked. For now, there is nothing to worry about, but gas stations are starting to empty and no one wants to relive the catastrophic scenario of October 2022 with endless queues at the pump.

No one wants to relive the dark scenario of October, with endless queues at the pump, but we are getting closer little by little. For the past two weeks, the country's eight refineries have been blocked, as have some of the 200 depots in France. As a result, gas stations begin to empty one after another. However, at this stage, there is nothing to worry about.

>> READ ALSO - "We are hurting capital": the refineries of Fos-sur-Mer at the time of the strike against pensions

12% of stations lack at least one fuel

12% of petrol stations lack at least one fuel in France. Nothing alarming compared to the shortages of October throughout France. In some areas, the situation is much more tense. This is the case in the Bouches-du-Rhône, where more than one resort out of two is in shortage, and four out of ten are dry.

These shortages are mainly related to the panic of motorists, explains Francis Pousse, national president of gas stations at Mobilians. "There have been announcements by some trade unions that there will be no more fuel. So there was a chilling effect. Petrol stations in southern France sold up to twice as much fuel this weekend," he told Europe 1.

>> READ ALSO - Pensions: "Refiners take us hostage", in Marseille, the great return of fuel shortages

Stocks fuller than in the fall

Unlike last autumn, petrol station operators anticipated the move. They have filled their stocks to hold, says Olivier Gantois, president of UFIP Energies and Mobilities

"Inventories were particularly low at the end of September 2022. The social movement that started in early March was announced. The oil distributors had organized. There are between 3 and 4 months of fuel stocks," said Olivier Gantois at the microphone of Europe 1. These three to four months of stocks also include the State's strategic stocks. The government has already released some of it since early March.