According to Harald Mahrer, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, subsidies at least as high as in Germany are needed so that our companies do not lose their competitiveness.
WKO chairman Harald Mahrer has now made an urgent appeal to the government: “Austrian companies must receive at least the same amounts from the energy price brake as Germany has now decided. It should not be less, a slightly larger amount would be good for Austria as a location.” The rise in energy prices has caused problems for many sectors and companies. The “Krone” has calculated the price increases for three specific companies – and compared to an average household – since 2020.
Electricity costs rose, especially for businesses
The result: The companies feel the burden much more than the average household (see graph). Electricity costs for households have increased by 83 percent since 2020, but by 404 percent for businesses. For gas, the ratio is 194 percent to 889 percent.
In absolute figures: since 2020, electricity costs at a bakery have risen from 17,360 euros to 87,500 euros and gas costs from 2173.50 to 21,493.50 euros. A grocery store now pays 13,670 euros for gas instead of 1,382 euros and now 28,250 euros for electricity instead of 5,604 euros. A hotel with 200 beds now has gas costs of 415,118 euros instead of 41,978 euros, while electricity has risen from 99,944 euros to 503,750 euros. Mahrer: “Companies must have energy price support immediately – and no later than the end of 2023.”
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
