“Unless there is more support to cope with the cost of energy in the difficult winter ahead, lockouts in food service establishments across the country are inevitable.” This is a grim assessment of food service chains, which, after meetings with various ministers, most recently with the Minister of Energy Mr Skrekaare now looking for a solution through a meeting with the prime minister himself. And this is because they receive a message that everything that goes beyond the fiscal sphere can only be decided by the Palace of Maximos.

According with information, at the meetings, government officials emphasize that at a price of 240 euros per megawatt-hour, enterprises are sustainable and do not need additional support other than that already provided. However, the enterprises, for their part, emphasize that the viability limit is much lower at 130 euros per MWh, which is again twice as much as last year.

Industry networks are asking for more support and a meeting with the prime minister.

“Although there are still no ‘locks’, because even in October, due to the long tourist season, sales were increased, perhaps even above the level of 2019, the poor performance of the month of November, combined with a very large increase in costs, has led to that this year there is a lot of concern about the viability of the business, mainly from the franchisees. We have not experienced such a struggle even during the decade-long economic crisis,” he said characteristically. addressing “K”, Mr. Yiannis LiarosCEO of the Hellenic Catering Association (EPOES).

According to the restaurant chains, “The level of current energy cost subsidies for non-residential consumers is insufficient to keep the restaurant business afloat, which, along with a tripling of energy costs, is facing cumulative and exorbitant increases in the prices of raw materials, packaging materials, transportation, labor and other costs, at the same time, they absorbed much of that spending so as not to significantly raise consumer prices, depleting the last of the supplies left over from a good – and protracted – tourist season.” The cost in general, and not just the cost of energy, is estimated to have increased by an average of 30%, while companies have continued to increase prices by about 12%, with some of them keeping prices stable.