‘Energy support for small and medium-sized enterprises beyond the reach of many’

Small and medium-sized enterprises are critical of the government’s energy support package. “This doesn’t help many companies. We asked bakers for information, for example, and they didn’t calculate 12.5% ​​of energy costs as a percentage of turnover,” says MKB Nederland’s Jacco Vonhof. the definitive Energy Cost Allowance Scheme (TEK) for small and medium-sized businesses. That 12.5 percent is the threshold that applies to eligibility for support.

“Costs have risen to such an extent that they can no longer pass it on to the price of their product. So the scheme will miss its target, because hardly anyone is entitled to it.”

This bakery in Amersfoort is probably not eligible for financial support:

“The thresholds for the program are too high, so that only a few entrepreneurs can access it,” says Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KHN). Like MKB Nederland, the sector organization for the catering industry believes that the support is insufficient and advocates a lowering of the threshold amounts.

The retailers’ trade association INretail also sees the system fail early. “The average energy costs of retailers are now around 3, 4, maybe 5 percent. They go up to 6, 7 or even 8 percent. This is a huge increase in costs for retailers, in addition to the increase in costs for retailers. products and labor costs, “explains spokesman Paul from Grotenhuis. “This cannot and must not be the intention.”

Also, the deal comes too late. “Between now and April 1, there are almost six months left,” says Te Grotenhuis. “The need is right now and the situation becomes more urgent every month. It is about helping companies during the winter.”

“I am seriously worried that we will have serious problems in our economy. I have heard from bakers, butchers, horticultural companies and body shops that they will not make it through this deal,” says Vonhof. “Even the ceiling of 160 thousand euros on an annual basis is too low. In Europe, a completely different amount is being assessed, now there is talk of aid that would rise to 750 thousand euros per company”.

One of the companies that think they can benefit from the support measure is the De Heuvelrug sauna in Veenendaal. Owner Hans Lebbink says his energy costs range from 15 to 16 percent. It has a variable energy contract and prices change daily. “Help this support, if at least you go above 12.5 percent. If support doesn’t come until April, that’s a shame, because we desperately need it.”

Proof Bakery in Amersfoort does not qualify. “We can’t do anything with this deal. This situation isn’t viable. Most bakeries certainly don’t hit that 12.5 percent,” explains owner Vicky Littlejohn.

“You can’t pass it on to a customer, because the price of bread isn’t just about energy costs. If we were to transfer everything, it would be a 20 percent increase. A lot of people don’t want to pay for that and that means smaller bakeries go bankrupt.”

This also applies to medium and large industrial bakeries and patisseries. The Dutch Bakery Association, representing their interests, finds the ceiling of 160,000 euros per year in particular the problem.

“We qualify it as alms. An industrial bakery spends around € 360,000 a month on gas. For us it would work better if it went by connection than by company, some companies have more branches.”

This month the government has announced how households will be compensated for the sharp rise in energy costs.