The national bakery and bakery-pastry confederation had not called for demonstrations, satisfied with the ongoing dialogue with the government and the systems in place, although these are still little known to companies.

But several groups, including the "Collective for the survival of bakery and crafts", have called for a march to the Ministry of the Economy.

Hundreds of bakers responded, baguettes in hand.

The tariff shield, which limits price increases, is open to very small businesses (less than 10 employees and annual turnover of less than 2 million euros) whose electricity meter displays a power of less than 36kVA.

Bakers are in fact excluded, due to the consumption of ovens.

The collective considers the other aid mechanisms put in place by the executive to be insufficient, such as the electricity shock absorber, the help desk for the payment of gas and electricity bills, the postponement of the payment of taxes and social security contributions. or the free termination of the most exorbitant energy contracts.

"Our bill has been multiplied by four, which represents two salaries, and we really do not want to have to lay off", testifies Guillaume, a baker in Gironde.

Several hundred demonstrators, mostly bakers, gathered to demand additional aid in the face of rising energy prices on January 23, 2023 in Paris © Thomas SAMSON / AFP

Mickael François, a baker in Maine-et-Loire, came accompanied by his apprentice Bryan, 17.

"I have already had to lay off my only employee and under these conditions, I cannot extend my apprenticeship (...) and I will simply have to file for bankruptcy", declares, annoyed, this craftsman.

Bakers are not the only ones to ask for an extension of aid.

The Confederation of SMEs still considers them "insufficient", little popularized and too "segmented" according to the size of the companies.

The government has however multiplied aid in recent months and again at the beginning of January by limiting the price of electricity to 280 euros per megawatt hour for very small businesses (TPE) in 2023.

The CPME welcomed the initiative of the oil giant TotalEnergies which committed last week to allow SMEs to renegotiate their contract to reach this price, inviting other suppliers to do the same.

The energy companies were also received Monday afternoon at Bercy.

To cope with rising prices, radical methods are increasingly being considered by companies, bakers in the lead.

In Marseille, the CGT-Energie has even mentioned the possibility of carrying out a "manipulation on the meter" so that bakers can benefit from significant reductions on their bill.

Several hundred demonstrators, mostly bakers, gathered to demand additional aid in the face of rising energy prices on January 23, 2023 in Paris © Thomas SAMSON / AFP

"We have the technical capacity to do so, without endangering property or people," its secretary general Renaud Henry told AFP, without giving more details on how to proceed, which would, however, be "completely illegal". .

© 2023 AFP