Margaux Fodéré, edited by Yanis Darras 09:51, January 04, 2023

Bakers are in danger.

Since the beginning of the energy crisis, professionals in the sector have seen their electricity bills explode.

A worrying increase, which is added to the explosion of the prices of raw materials.

However, the government has set up several support systems for businesses, which have not yet been successful.

Wheat, flour, electricity... The increases continue and suffocate the bakers.

To the point that some are afraid to put the key under the door very quickly.

However, Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne, accompanied by her Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire, recalled that a series of measures were already in force to help professionals in the sector, and that other aid will be available very quickly. 

Despite everything, many bakers can no longer make ends meet.

The fault is a lack of knowledge of the aid put in place by the State, estimates the executive.

According to Bruno Le Maire, only about fifty SMEs come to ask for at least one aid granted by the government, while there are more than 30,000 bakers in France.

Faced with this situation, the Minister of the Economy announced on Tuesday to send a letter to all bakery owners to remind them of the aid they can claim. 

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Work with energy companies

Second problem: energy costs.

Despite the various support schemes, some bills are still too high.

"We really need a helping hand at the government level on energy companies", alert at the microphone of Europe 1, the president of the National Confederation of French Bakery and Pastry (CNBPF), Dominique Anract.

"When your bill is multiplied by 12, it is not possible. A business is not viable with this kind of price, even with all the aid in the world", he continues.

To remedy this problem, some energy companies have made the trip to Bercy and have agreed to renegotiate, free of charge, the baker's contracts which would have concluded agreements at prohibitive prices, only if prices fall permanently. 

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 Soaring energy prices: government proposals to help bakers

"He May Disappear"

Last obstacle, finally, many bakers do not dare to pass on the increase in their bill to the selling price.

"We know that even if a trader increases his prices by 3 to 5%, but his bills are multiplied by two, then he can disappear", judge Dominique Anract. 

So, to continue to warn about their situation, bakers will parade on January 23 in Paris, alongside craftsmen and restaurateurs, who are also hit hard by the rises in the price of electricity and raw materials.