Diesel will cost more, but petroleum-based diesel sells in America for 57 cents a litre before distribution costs and tax, so there should be room for profit.

In 2005 profit before interest and tax was around EURO398m on sales of EURO2.4 billion, with a gross trading margin of more than 50%, about the highest in the business.

Kesa fell 8.9 percent to 137.4 pence after Europe's third - largest electronics retailer said profit before tax would be at the lower end of market estimates after sales dropped at Christmas.