Business · Energy & Commodities · 6 hrs ago
French households delay heating as energy costs rise
Some households in France are delaying turning on their heating as energy costs rise.
In Strasbourg, a minimum-wage worker plans to wait until mid-November, while a retired man is buying less heating oil to make it last through winter.
Heating oil prices rose 66% in a year, and gas prices rose 52%, adding pressure to household budgets.
For a 100-square-metre home, waiting two weeks could save an average of €130 with oil heating, €120 with electric radiators or €105 with gas.
One in three people in France said they struggled to pay energy bills last year, showing how widely the costs can affect households.
Lowering the temperature by one degree can also reduce bills, according to an energy adviser.
Some French households are delaying turning on their heating as energy prices rise and household budgets come under pressure.
A Strasbourg worker on the minimum wage said he planned to wait until mid-November, expecting to save about 50 euros.
A retired man said he had ordered 400 litres of heating oil, down from about 700 litres for a similar sum last year.
A heating-oil delivery driver said he was serving eight customers a day instead of the usual 16.
The report said heating oil prices had risen 66% and gas prices 52% in a year.
- Who
- French households, including a worker, a retiree and energy suppliers.
- What
- Some households are delaying heating or reducing their energy use as prices rise.
- When
- As temperatures fall in October 2026. The report was published on October 22, 2026.
- Where
- France, including Strasbourg.
- Why
- Rising energy bills are putting pressure on household budgets.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
A third of French people said they had difficulty paying their energy bills.
Domestic heating oil prices rose 66% and gas prices rose 52%.
A heating-oil delivery driver said he had expected demand to rise, but it did not.
With temperatures falling, some customers had still not turned on their heating.
- Heating oil price change
- Up 66% in a year
- Gas price change
- Up 52% in a year
- Hugo’s expected saving
- About 50 euros by waiting until mid-November to turn on the heating
- Heating-oil use
- Didier Castelain ordered 400 litres, compared with about 700 litres last year for a similar sum
- Delivery customers
- 8 a day, compared with an expected 16
- Estimated saving
- For a 100-square-metre house, delaying heating by two weeks could save an average of 130 euros on heating oil, 120 euros on electricity or 105 euros on gas
1 source
What people are saying
We will try to hold out as long as possible.
I’m putting in roughly the same amount of money as last year. I had put in about 700 litres for the same amount, but today I’m only putting in 400.
We should currently be serving 16 customers a day. We’re serving 8.
It’s worth setting the temperature carefully in the different rooms, because lowering the temperature at home by one degree has a real impact on the energy bill.