“Prices have been chaotic for two years”: pellets, an economical solution for households, but not always profitable for traders

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Faced with rising energy prices, most French people have decided to turn to wood-burning stoves and boilers. A more economical solution that uses pellets. A cheaper fuel but with a fluctuating price, a situation not necessarily to the taste of traders.

Indian summer is early this year, temperatures are dropping and autumn is approaching. The opportunity for many French people to restock their heating supplies. While the price of gas fell, that of electricity rose by 14.5% on average. Faced with rising prices, heating would almost become a luxury for some.

In order not to burden their wallets, most French households have decided to turn to wood-burning stoves and boilers. A more economical solution using pellets, these granules obtained by compacting, at high pressure, wood by-products such as chips or sawdust.

An economical solution for now…

The French and the Gersois know that wood remains the cheapest fuel for energy production. The price of pellets has halved compared to last year after a temporary increase. Allow on average about 4 euros for a 15 kg bag compared to 15 euros last year.

At the time, rising gas and electricity prices encouraged many French people to heat with wood and caused the start of a shortage. But in the end, with a particularly mild previous winter, many had given up heating or heating only moderately.

Read also:
Heating with wood: falling pellet prices, increasing orders, autumn is approaching… is it already too late to stock up?

The manufacturers who had thus restarted the cars found themselves with stocks that they now had to sell. The supply and demand policy applies in this situation. And promotions quickly appeared in specialty departments. But that's not always the only explanation for a price drop, which is good for buyers' wallets, but not necessarily for sellers'.

… but prices still vary

However, this drop in the price of pellets is not necessarily comfortable for sellers: “It has nothing to do with the price of wood, it is a very speculative raw material. For example, during the war in Ukraine, we went up to €. 14 per pack,” reports Éric, department manager in a DIY store.

Across town, this price fluctuation frustrates the director of another brand: “Prices have been chaotic for two years. I went from a bag that cost €3 to €8. There, we are at €5, making a big effort because you don't earn anything on a bag,” admits Christophe Schneider.

The lighter the pellet, the less it will clog the wood stove.
The lighter the pellet, the less it will clog the wood stove.
DDM – SEBASTIEN LAPEYRERE

If for a week France was gripped by an early cold snap, customers did not rush to stock: “We thought the temperatures would bring people, but in the end no more than usual,” notes Delphine , the garden center saleswoman.

A neutral start to the season for pellet sellers, which can be explained by a change in the consumption habits of their customers: “Before, people bought by pallets. Since inflation, they no longer keep stocks and now buy at the last minute, taking only two or three bags At the same time, the palette has gone from 270 euros to 350 euros in two years,” observes Christophe Schneider.

If they no longer buy in large quantities, some still stock up a little if the opportunity arises: “Today I sold the bag for €3.79 and in one morning half the pallet was sold. it sold”, concludes Eric.


Beware of scams

Pellets can also be purchased online. Made to order and delivered directly to your home, some offers may seem attractive. But beware of scams. If the cold madness heralds the coming autumn, it is only temporary. And scammers take advantage of that.

Prices are the lowest, around 300/350 euros per ton, compared to 500/550 last year in the same period. Some websites will show unbeatable prices, sometimes under 200 euros. A much more attractive price than in the store and encouraging to buy, at the risk of never receiving the delivery…

To avoid unpleasant surprises, it is advisable to pay attention to the signs that could alert you. Very low prices, much too fast delivery or even a multitude of brands from a single supplier: the scam is detectable. If in doubt, it is advisable to call customer service at the number indicated.

A website with unattractive graphics can also be a scam warning. The best alternative to not being scammed is to go to a physical store.

Tip: To check the quality of the pellets, put a few in a glass of water. If, after 40 seconds, the pellets have swollen, this is a sign that they are not of good quality. To avoid unpleasant surprises, choose 100% resinous and light-colored pellets.

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