The French Competition Authority has imposed a total fine of €187.5 million on TotalEnergies Marketing France, two companies within the Rubis group, and EG Retail for participating in an anti-competitive agreement in the Corsican road fuel sector.
The investigation, which began on December 15, 2021, consolidated two related cases following a complaint filed by the company Ferrandi in September 2022. The Authority found that several shareholders of Dépôts Pétroliers de la Corse (DPLC) had entered into a written agreement reserving exclusive rights of passage within Corsican petroleum depots for their own benefit.
According to the Competition Authority, this agreement enabled DPLC’s shareholders to implement practices likely to exclude non-shareholder competitors. Rivals were effectively forced to purchase fuel on terms dictated by the sanctioned companies and faced higher costs due to overlapping markups. The resulting market distortion was likely detrimental to consumers, contributing to higher fuel prices at the pump.
The Authority emphasized that these practices occurred in a particularly vulnerable context. In Corsica, the fuel distribution market is highly concentrated, dominated by just three operators: Total, Rubis/Vito, and Esso/Ferrandi. Unlike mainland France, the local service station network is not subject to significant competitive pressure from large or medium-sized retailers. This lack of competition may have amplified the impact on households, which are heavily reliant on cars for transportation.
The total amount of financial penalties imposed by the Authority is €187,490,000.
The decision shows the Authority’s commitment to combating collusive behavior and protecting consumer interests in regions where market concentration amplifies the risk of anti-competitive conduct.