BAROMETER. French road transport is on the brink of collapse, hit hard by the surge in diesel prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East. The emergency aid is considered derisory by carriers.
Unsurprisingly, in March 2026, France was hit by the shock of the war between the United States, Israel and Iran. This war, which began at the end of February, immediately caused energy prices to skyrocket, shaking up an already fragile French economy, as well as the entire European ecosystem.
- For the eurozone, in its interim report the OECD has revised its growth forecast downwards, now at 0.8% in 2026 instead of the 1.2% announced in December, while inflation is expected to reach 2.6%, compared to the 1.9% initially forecast.
- In France, in its baseline scenario, The Banque de France has also slightly revised downwards its GDP growth forecast for France, now projected at 0.9%. Inflation is expected to rise by 1.7% in 2026, due to energy prices, after an average annual increase of 0.9% in 2025. However, the Banque de France is also considering two more unfavourable scenarios. GDP growth would remain positive in all scenarios, but inflation would jump to 3.3% in the most pessimistic scenario.
A new period of great uncertainty
March 2026 therefore marks a real turning point, the consequences of which are already considerable for the economy in general and road transport in...
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