“There is a rough awakening” – Chamber of Commerce boss gives warning

The federal government recently approved a subsidy for energy-intensive companies. According to Economics Minister Martin Kocher, 1.3 billion euros should benefit those with more than three percent of the gross production value in energy costs.

However, Peter Buchmüller does not go far enough with this decision. “They only paid attention to the big industry. It hardly helps small and medium-sized businesses,” says the president of the Salzburg Chamber of Commerce, annoyed.

There are fears of a tenfold increase in the price of electricity
The Salzburger, who works in the food trade, explains why the resolution is dangerously incomplete: “In my company, for example, the energy costs of the gross production value are currently 0.6 percent. However, with the new contract I will have to pay 57 cents per kilowatt hour of electricity from 2023 instead of the previous 5 cents. Then the energy costs suddenly amount to 3.5 percent. However, the measures taken by the federal government do not work. So you have to be more focused, away from the watering can principle. The hotel industry, gastronomy, bakers and many other small businesses are forgotten. Even the food trade has few of these measures!” In a recent survey by the Chamber of Commerce, 80 percent of the companies surveyed indicated that they already had energy and electricity price problems.

Outrage for WKS boss not big enough
“The outrage is still not big enough,” says Buchmüller, head of the Salzburg Chamber of Commerce: “The companies have ongoing contracts. There is only a rude awakening when the new bills from the energy suppliers come.” How can small businesses be helped in a more targeted way: “A capped price on the first 80 percent of consumption, the other 20 at market price. It would also make people think about how they can save energy!”