Energy crisis arrives in everyday life: How high gas and electricity prices endanger our daily supply
Created: 09/15/2022, 05:02
By: Patrick Freiwah
The flame on the gas stove is more expensive: Germany is groaning under the burden of high energy costs.
© Action Pictures/Imago
Electricity and gas have become enormously expensive - and Germany is in an energy crisis.
How the Ukraine war and its consequences affect people's everyday lives.
Munich - Germany and its citizens are in the stranglehold of inflation.
This is drastically noticeable due to the development on the energy market, which was largely caused by the escalation in Ukraine.
Consumers see the result when they look at the electricity or heating bill.
However, it is not only in the private sector that people are confronted with the effects of the energy crisis, where prices for numerous goods are rising as a result of spiraling costs.
Industry and business are also confronted with sometimes drastically increased energy prices.
After all, there is usually a mass production of various goods here, which necessitates an enormous production effort.
The result: Many everyday products are suddenly in danger of becoming scarce because companies are also struggling to survive due to the increased energy costs.
For example, the German toilet paper manufacturer Hakle has filed for bankruptcy.
There are several factors that come into play: In addition to the related markets for heat and electricity, transport costs also play a role, especially fuel.
In addition, some companies have a problem with wood fibers, which are required for paper production.
The conflict between the West and Russia, together with the detachment from cheap energy, is causing serious difficulties for consumers and the economy.
Of course, this also applies to everyday goods.
There are problems in many industries that can lead to shortages, rising prices and bankruptcies:
The war in Ukraine and the energy crisis make everyday products more expensive
Food and beverages:
Many foods have already become more expensive compared to the previous year.
This is noticeable with numerous products, particularly with butter, sunflower oil or bread and baked goods.
But what causes the price increases?
Fertilizer costs have increased dramatically as a result of the Ukraine war, and there is also the energy problem, fueled at times by the Nord Stream 2 conflict.
The development that consumers are confronted with on the shelves and fresh food counters in supermarkets is based on the fact that (mineral) fertilizer for fields is made from natural gas, and animal feed is largely made from plant residues from cooking oil production.
The latter therefore has a massive impact on the manufacture of dairy products such as butter, due to the animal husbandry required.
Fertilizer producers are reported to have reduced production by 70 percent in 2022 to save money.
In the short term, this leads to rising prices, and in the long term, in the worst case, to a supply bottleneck.
The Germans' favorite alcoholic drink, beer, is also affected by the controversial situation: Because the beer is mainly produced in breweries with the help of gas.
Another problem faced by many beverage manufacturers is the shortage of carbon dioxide: Since the carbon dioxide in some breweries and soft drink manufacturers is no longer sufficient for all beverages, there are initial production stops.
But what does carbonic acid in drinks have to do with the energy crisis?
It is mostly a by-product of fertilizer production and is therefore affected by the problem mentioned above.
also read
Consumer advice center warns: Brazen scam could bring in millions a year for supermarkets
Do not simply dry laundry in the apartment: it can be expensive and dangerous
Energy crisis in Germany: shortage of everyday consumer goods?
Consumer goods:
The tense situation in the energy sector is affecting other products and making them more expensive.
Because the raw material natural gas is in numerous articles that the average consumer is confronted with in everyday life:
care products
toothpaste
cosmetics
laundry detergent
cleaning supplies
Natural gas serves as an important ingredient in plastic packaging, but many utensils also have residues in the goods themselves.
In addition, natural gas plays an important role in films used in industrial product manufacture.
Not to forget, the electricity alone requires huge amounts of energy during production.
There is therefore also a risk of bottlenecks here if the current development is not stopped.
Meanwhile, the alarm level could soon be declared in the gas emergency plan - with far-reaching consequences.
Energy crisis in Germany could lead to problems with medicines
Medicines: Medicines
and other medical aids play an important role in the health of many people.
Although the pharmaceutical industry was able to make profits worldwide due to the corona pandemic, manufacturers are also affected by increased production costs in several ways.
Here, too, the focus is primarily on the shortage of natural gas, for which the federal government is desperately looking for a replacement, for example in Canada.
On the one hand, this sector deals with manufacturing processes where active ingredients are separated out at certain temperatures, also with the help of steam.
However, what weighs far more heavily - and should also affect the price policy: ampoules have to be produced using a lot of energy, and natural gas is also in the packaging of numerous medicines.
In addition to plastic and paper, the industry also uses aluminum for safety reasons - and this is also produced in an extremely gas-intensive manner.
Our consumer newsletter will keep you up to date on consumer information and product recalls.
Drug shortage in Germany?
Europe dependent on China
However, a third point obviously comes into play here: As the pharmaceutical association VFA explains, around 60 percent of all medicines sold in Europe are manufactured in China!
However, because factories there have repeatedly shut down operations, this has had an impact on availability in countries such as Germany, where the products are exported at great expense.
Vital medicines, painkillers and antibiotics are also affected, as
Focus.de
describes.
The time before the euro: Who still knows these currencies?
View photo gallery
An initiative by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promises a cushioning of the energy crisis: In the fight against skyrocketing prices for electricity and gas, the European Union allegedly wants to make energy companies responsible.
