INFO FRANCEINFO. War in the Middle East: the activity of nearly 80% of French SMEs affected by the conflict, according to CPME

The survey conducted among approximately 2,300 business leaders reveals the “significant” impact of the war on their productions.

Published on May 21, 2026 at 06:13, the survey conducted by the Confederation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (CPME) indicates that the activity of 78% of very small (TPE) and small and medium-sized (PME) French businesses has been affected by the war in the Middle East.

The impact of the conflict was considered “significant” by 44% of these business leaders. For 12% of companies, this crisis resulted in a more than 20% increase in raw material supply costs. Nearly half of TPEs and SMEs are facing an increase of more than 20% in fuel prices.

“This acceleration of costs represents a direct threat to the profitability and sustainability of the most exposed companies,” warns the CPME.

The study states that “any further increase in energy prices could push a significant number of companies into insurmountable difficulties.” The rise in fuel prices “is a major concern for a large portion of executives.”

One out of two bosses considers the volatility of gas and fuel prices as “a serious threat to the profitability of their business.” According to the CPME, construction companies appear to be the most “vulnerable” (17%), followed by those in the commerce sector (11%) and industry (10%). The CPME points to a “persistent dependence” of the entrepreneurial fabric on fossil fuels and a “difficulty in short-term resilience against price volatility.”