Le Figaro Bordeaux
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“
Some are threatening to close, others are talking about suicides
”.
The voice enamelled with tears, Nathalie Laporte, president of the Chamber of trades and crafts (CMA) of the Gironde, describes a situation “
inadmissible
”.
Suffocated by rising gas and electricity prices, bakers and butchers are “
on the brink of collapse
”.
This Tuesday, December 6, the presidents of the hundred institutions in France, gathered in Paris for their general assembly (GA), must explain the situation to Olivia Grégoire, minister of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs and VSEs).
"
On hot coals
" in the face of the distress she experiences at her switchboard, which has become a "
crying office
“, the Girondine representative hopes for “concrete and rapid measures
in the face of this vector of stress
”.
The claim of Gérard Gomez, president of the CMA in New Aquitaine is clear: "
We must extend the tariff shield without limit in kilowatt hours to companies with fewer than 20 employees, always within the limit of 10 million euros in turnover. business per year.
“Like individuals, only merchants using less than 36kwh per month can protect themselves for the moment.
A limit reached as soon as the bread oven of a bakery is working.
“
And there is also the pastry oven, the fridges, the refrigerated display cases
”, underlines Dominique Anract, president of the national confederation of the bakery of French pastry (Cnbpf).
In short: an average shop employing six people already consumes around 74 kWh per month.
A problem that he has already presented to Bruno Le Maire, Minister of the Economy, this Friday, November 25.
If he felt "
heard
" in high places, he hopes for a quick reaction to prevent "
breakage
" and to "
stop
" the panic.
"
We've been believing in Santa Claus for a while now, but we're still hoping for good news
," he said on the eve of the crucial meeting with the minister.
The guys who calculate that have bac+50, we don't understand the bill that will fall on us in January.
Emmanuel Gripon, president of the Bakers of New Aquitaine
Survival plan for French bakers
His industry has already put a survival plan in place.
"
I'm going to get up earlier to run the oven at night during off-peak hours, increase the traditional baguette and the croissant by 10 cents, but that won't be enough
," explains Emmanuel Gripon, who tries to look at "
the glass halfway full
”.
Difficult, however, for the president of the Boulangers de Nouvelle-Aquitaine in the face of such an illegible situation.
“
Did you get it?
The guys who calculate that have bac+50, we don't understand anything about the bill that will fall on us in January
, ”explains the one who has been practicing since he was 14 years old.
Will energy costs be multiplied by two, four or ten?
At a time when 80% of the sector is supplied at the yellow tariff (subject to market fluctuations, editor's note), concern is at its height.
Especially since the Gironde sector, already weakened by the fires and the Covid-19 epidemic, has no more or little cash.
"
We have just had the baguette classified as intangible heritage by Unesco, if France has no more bread... We are in a bad
way," laments Emmanuel Gripon, recalling that the prices of raw materials such as butter, flour or yeast are also subject to inflation.
"Tears and fear" of Girondin butchers
“
We are the lungs of the nation, let them do what is necessary before the distress of the families of the licensees worsens the situation
”, insists Nathalie Laporte, president of the CMA of Gironde.
At the AG of butchers-charcutiers in Bordeaux this Monday, 100% of the members were present.
A mobilization that says a lot about the underlying crisis and "
the fear that reigns
" for Nathalie Coulon, used to seeing a dozen appear.
“
Some of them were in tears.
If we do not manage to find a ground for negotiations between now and the holidays, some will close just after
, ”says the co-president of the French confederation of butchery and charcuterie in the Gironde (Cfbct) alarmed.
In his sector, half of the traders are threatening to file for bankruptcy.
Close to retirement, her husband is “no
longer sure of being able to resell the business
”.
As for Pascal Gourmelen, a CAP graduate in 1982 who works in the Bordeaux district of Natousy, he already knows it... "
With his cash at the bottom of the daisies
" without help, he will stop.
"
I have a knife to my throat
," he concludes, "
no pun
intended."