The activity of half of salaried workers has decreased in 2022, while 90% have increased the cost of their activity this year
The escalation of inflation has forced nearly 60% of self-employed workers to raise the prices of their products or activities in light of the delicate situation they find themselves in, as many have not yet recovered from the pandemic. This is reflected in the XV barometer published this Monday by the National Federation of Associations of Autonomous Workers, ATA, compiled from more than 1,000 interviews conducted between the 19th and 22nd of this month. Specifically, 57.3% have increased the cost of their services to their customers, while 39.8% have not yet applied inflation to their prices. Currently, 59.2% of those surveyed plan to do so quickly if this rate is maintained.
The continuity of many companies is at risk by continuing these price increases, warns ATA, pointing out that nearly 90% of the group will have increased the costs of their operations by 2022. One of their major problems they face is the increase in energy costs, which have increased by more than 40% to a fifth of these workers, and another 23% between 25% and 40%.
Moreover, this increase occurs when the activity of almost half of the self-employed is far from increasing in 2022 and the future prospects are not much brighter: 60% foresee a bigger cut for what is left of the year, according to the survey. “The continuous price increases, the shortage of raw materials and the increase in energy prices are not helping the group to recover everything that was lost during the years of the pandemic,” the group’s main organization regrets.
More specifically, for one in four entrepreneurs, the biggest problem that has hurt their business the most has been the increase in electricity (26.7%) and for one in five, the increase in raw materials (20.7% ) or taxes (20.3 %). Prices are an obstacle for 14.5% of the self-employed and the fuel price for 13.9%.
Source: La Verdad
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.
