On January 23, 2023, hundreds of French bakers in Paris came out to protest against the rising cost of electricity and raw materials. The protest was a continuation of a series of French rallies due to the sudden price increase associated with the war in Ukraine, as well as the Covid-19 pandemic, which broke global supply chains, France24 reports.
Thus, producers have already experienced an increase in the cost of butter and flour, in addition, egg prices have risen sharply due to the outbreak of bird flu, which has caused damage to many farms in France.
Representatives of bakeries were forced to take to the streets by the renewal of electricity contracts in 2023, as bills increased significantly.
Given the French’s commitment to fresh bread, President Emmanuel Macron’s government has sought to draw attention to the assistance offered to small business owners. Various government schemes have been developed that can help reduce electricity bills by 40% for the respective businesses.
However, the demonstrators explained that these schemes are either too complicated, too slow to provide assistance, or available only to the smallest bakeries.
The price of bread in the European Union in August increased by almost 20%, as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is the main exporter of grain and fertilizers, continued to undermine world markets and accelerate overall inflation.