Why gas prices in France are rising in April - and by how much
It comes after six consecutive monthly rises. Try these tips to reduce your bills
Households that use gas for cooking will see their bills rise by 1.76% next month
Kamil Zajaczkowski/Shutterstock
Gas prices in France are set to rise by up to 2.27% in April after six consecutive monthly rises, the energy commission has confirmed.
La Commission de Régulation de l’Énergie (CRE), which fixes the monthly reference price, said the new prices will be:
The increases will apply to those who have an ‘indexed’ offer, which means their prices increase or decrease as the monthly reference changes. Those who have taken out a fixed-price deal will not be affected.
Why are prices rising?
The main reason is market instability, partly due to geopolitical tensions, including in the US and Ukraine.
Energy comparison website Selectra has estimated that between 2021 and 2025, the bill for a household that consumes 10,000 kWh of gas per year has doubled.
One householder told TF1: "Over these past few years, my monthly bill has increased from €114.90 to €140.66.”
TF1 also gave the example of a household with three people, in a 90 metre square home. It said that five years ago, they would have paid €95 per month for gas. Now, they pay around €166, and will pay €169 from April.
Read also: Why are gas tariffs so high in France and will this last?
How can I prevent big price rises?
One way is to opt for a fixed-price deal to avoid your bills from going up if the reference price does. However, this also means that your bill will not decrease should the market see any future downturns.
You can also switch deals and find the best for your household needs by using a comparison website.
Read more: Gas bills rise in France: compare energy providers
Will prices continue to rise?
It depends on the market, but Selectra is forecasting that next month the reference price could drop to the point that households could see a “5.5% reduction in their annual gas budget”.
From August 1 this year, VAT on energy ‘subscriptions’ (gas and electricity) will rise from 5.5% to 20%, as stipulated in the 2025 budget.
