“It’s getting really hard”, these traders suffocated by the increase in the electricity bill

Jean-Luc Boujon / Photo credit: Europe 1 6:46 a.m., January 23, 2024

Between 8.6 and 9.8%.

This will be the amount of the new increase in electricity prices on February 1, announced Sunday evening by Bruno Le Maire.

More bad news for individuals but also for professionals.

We are thinking here of traders such as bakers or butchers who use electricity for their activity.

For the occasion, Europe 1 went to Lyon to meet these professionals. 

“We need electricity”

This increase in the price of electricity is more bad news for Loïc Pozzoli.

This owner of four bakeries in Lyon, however, thought he had done the right thing a year ago, by signing a new contract blocking the price of the kWh.

Except that the increase, which will take place on February 1, corresponds to the reestablishment of a tax.

As a result, it will be applied to his bill.

“This new increase should represent approximately 1,000 to 1,500 euros in additional costs per month. It is an additional blow to the already very fragile brands in our profession. When you earn your living with products like the baguette which costs 1.20 euros, it is difficult to pass on each time all the increases we experience. Unless you lose your customers", he laments at the microphone of Europe 1.

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Same situation for Laurent Magnin, butcher in Lyon.

For him too, it is impossible to do without electricity.

“The bulk of our electricity consumption is the cold rooms which run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We cannot turn them off, we need electricity. The goal is therefore to hold on . Because an increase of 8-9% is way too much. It’s getting really hard,” worries the butcher.

Worried traders, who have already implemented all the everyday energy saving measures in their stores a year ago.