A major wave of closures threatens local bakers. Small businesses in particular can hardly bear the current explosion in electricity and gas costs.
“Energy costs are up to ten times higher than last year. Many bakeries are considering closing forever,” explains guild master Josef Schrott.
Tens of thousands of euros in additional costs cannot be earned at the counter of a small bakery. Industry is particularly hard hit because ovens and dough coolers require a lot of energy.
In addition, there are additional costs due to higher wheat prices on the world market, higher costs for packaging material and wage increases from the autumn on the basis of collective labor agreements. “Our companies cannot pass on the exorbitant increases to customers,” said Renate Scheichelbauer-Schuster, spokeswoman for the trades at the Chamber of Commerce.
In parts of the industry, however, price increases for consumers of around ten percent are still expected.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
