The French Competition Authority (FCA) has imposed a massive €187.5 million collective fine on TotalEnergies, Rubis, and EG Retail for an anti-competitive agreement in Corsica's road fuel market.
The French Competition Authority (FCA) has levied a substantial total fine of €187.5 million against four companies—TotalEnergies Marketing France (TEMF), two companies in the Rubis group, and EG Retail—for engaging in an anti-competitive agreement concerning the supply and distribution of road fuels in Corsica. The decision, issued on November 17, follows a four-year investigation and a complaint filed by a local distributor.
TotalEnergies Marketing France received the largest portion of the penalty, being fined €115.8 million for its role in the cartel. Rubis was fined €64.7 million and EG Retail was fined €7 million.
The FCA's ruling centers on a contractual clause in place between 2016 and 2023 that effectively reserved the use of Corsica's fuel depots, owned by Dépôts Pétroliers de la Corse (DPLC)—a company jointly controlled by the sanctioned parties—exclusively for its shareholders. The Authority determined that this agreement was likely to foreclose non-shareholder competitors, forcing them to purchase fuel from their direct rivals under unfavorable conditions.
The FCA explicitly stated that this arrangement led to an accumulation of markups, which was ultimately detrimental to consumers as it resulted in higher Fuel Prices at the pump. The seriousness of the practice was compounded by the fact that the practices occurred in a highly concentrated sector where DPLC controls what the FCA considers an "essential infrastructure."
In a statement today, TotalEnergies acknowledged the decision but firmly announced its intention to appeal the fine before the Paris Court of Appeal, contesting its merits.
The company insists that the FCA's position "is not supported by any tangible evidence of any potential anti-competitive effect in Corsica." TotalEnergies argues the decision relies solely on the depot access clause, overlooking the fact that non-shareholder distributors had access to fuel via a separate contractual supply arrangement. Furthermore, TotalEnergies claims the clause caused no harm, noting that the complainant distributor "was able to continue sourcing fuel from TotalEnergies or from other shareholders of the depots, even significantly increasing its supply volumes."
Crucially, TotalEnergies announced a "strategic review of the conditions for continuing its marketing activities in Corsica." The company stated that the fine is of a "disproportionate nature compared to the profitability of its operations on the island." This review puts the future of one of the island's key fuel distributors and its extensive service station network at risk. Given Corsica's high dependence on Automobiles and its isolated, concentrated fuel market, a withdrawal by TotalEnergies would be a significant blow to the local energy landscape.
