French firm sues to disrupt MFG/Morrisons forecourt deal

A subsidiary of Bouygues is suing the supermarket chain over a 2019 agreement for exclusive rights to install EV chargers across its 273 forecourts.

In the wake of the Motor Fuel Group (MFG) and Morrisons £2.5bn forecourt deal, a subsidiary of French giant Bouygues is stepping up to sue the supermarket chain.

Equans EV Solutions, owned by the French conglomerate, is suing the British chain over an agreement signed in 2019, which enabled the company exclusive rights to install chargers at 273 of the brand’s petrol stations. The firm is trying to disrupt the transaction accusing the retailer of alleged breach of contract, according to The Sunday Times.

Electric vehicle (EV) charging was one of the main reasons MFG was interested in the deal, seeking the opportunity to leverage the supermarket’s reach across the UK. By the time Equans installed chargers at 260 locations, Morrisons quit the deal.

One month after the deal was completed, now the French company seeks to block the sale, in hopes that the court affirm its exclusivity rights over the stations.

The newspaper details that Morrisons has claimed that there was no valid contract between both parties, and that Equans didn’t meet their original goals, which resulted in significant losses for the supermarket. The chain is set to file its defense by the end of the month.