French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire welcomed oil giant TotalEnergies' (TTEF.PA) decision on Tuesday to maintain a cap on fuel prices beyond Dec. 31, urging other companies to join the fight against the high cost of living.
The French government, in line with other countries in Europe, is stepping up a drive to lower food and transport prices, strong-arming big business to help ease consumer pain.
In his remarks on Tuesday, Le Maire also confirmed plans to tax extra profits of companies that run highways.
Last month Le Maire reached an agreement with major food retailers and producers to cut prices on 5,000 everyday products and to bring forward annual price negotiations - initially planned next year - to September.
TotalEnergies earlier on Tuesday said that a 1.99 euros per litre cap on fuel prices which was originally due to expire at the end of the year will be extended at all its petrol stations in France beyond Dec. 31 and stay in place "as long as prices remain high".
"It is good news for all the people who work and for the purchasing power. I would like other distributors to join the movement," Le Maire told LCI television.
Energy Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher was due to meet French retailers who own petrol stations on Tuesday to discuss the issue, Le Maire said.
"I can confirm that we will impose a tax on the extra profits made by highway companies," he also said.
A spokesperson for highway operator Vinci (SGEF.PA) said the group was "surprised" that the minister was speaking of "extra profits" when the French Transport Regulatory Authority in charge of assessing the profitability of highway concession operators had concluded the opposite."
Eiffage (FOUG.PA) had no immediate comment, and their shares did not move on Le Maire's announcement.
The move is part of a bid by several European governments, from Italy to Britain, to fight a rise in the cost of living and force big companies to share the burden with consumers.
Italy last month became the latest European country to hit banks with a windfall tax on their profits, which have been bolstered by interest rate rises, to help mortgage holders. Several governments across Europe imposed windfall taxes on energy companies last year to rein in excess profits as energy prices have soared following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
