“No trace of water”: Michel-Edouard Leclerc responds to accusations after breakdowns at his gas stations

“There is no water in the tanks. » Michel-Edouard Leclerc responded this Thursday morning on Franceinfo to motorists who accuse the brand of cutting off the fuel at some filling stations with water. In the Bordeaux region, reports of breakdowns after refueling at the group’s gas stations have become more frequent in recent days, as reported, in particular, by France Bleu Gironde.

“There is still an investigation to be carried out, but the probes do not detect traces of water,” insisted the president of the strategic committee of the Leclerc centers. “Each center of E. Leclerc meets the technical requirements, there is not a trace of water here,” he repeated again.

Problems were reported in Sainte-Elalie, Ambares-et-Lagrave and Talence. According to Michel-Edouard Leclerc, in the first commune, 25 “real people said they had problems” and contacted the brand. However, “there are 3,000 gas stations a day in Saint-Elalie, and 25 people refueled from multiple tanks,” he explained, hinting that not everyone necessarily refuels at gas stations in the area.

“Leclerc is 450,000 refills per day,” the director of the mass distribution brand also emphasized. “There could be a problem here or there of excess moisture in the tank, a human problem of poor priming. »

Customers may be reimbursed

In Facebook groups where the readings were recorded, mechanics claimed to have found water in the tank of some vehicles. According to the president of a supermarket leader, mechanics at a “competing gas station” have a “tendency to say that if Leclerc is cheaper, it’s because it’s a different fuel.” However, “I have been hearing this for 40 years and I can tell you that it is the same fuel because it comes from the same nameless warehouse,” insisted Michel-Edouard Leclerc.

Motorists reported that after refueling, the engine light came on and they noticed a severe loss of power. Some problems cost several thousand euros. Leclerc’s president assured that customers facing problems can receive compensation, provided they are “documented.” “We’re not going to just take over the Facebook site of people who complain,” he assured.

For Michel-Edouard Leclerc, this question is not trivial. “We all asked ourselves at home, from the field, to headquarters, to see if they were sending a scud to us, knowing that we might have to conduct operations at cost and discredit us in advance,” he said.