At many laundries the water is up to the lips

They also feel the high energy prices at Wasserij Edelweiss in Wakken. The invoices for the first two months of 2022 are already the same as those for the whole of 2021. The prices of chemicals such as soap have also increased by about 20 to 25 percent.

Manager Emanuel Grillet: “We are forced to pass on the price increases to our customers, the catering industry and industry, by 13 percent. That is a hard nut to crack for the catering industry, which is already coming out of a deep valley due to corona. It is also difficult for hotels to pass on this price increase to their customers, because they work more with supply and demand.”

More difficult than corona period

This period is more difficult for the laundry than corona. Then they could still work with technical unemployment. Now they have more work due to the catering industry, so the staff also have to work and be paid. And they have more costs themselves. The sector is therefore asking for a ceiling for energy prices. A VAT reduction won’t help for things like this.

Philip Rebry, President of the Federation: “We urgently call on the government to initiate a noticeable reduction in energy prices. The reduction in VAT is just a drop in the ocean, and the European agreement to cap the gas price must come as soon as possible. Many small and medium-sized enterprises are at risk of succumbing to the cost burden for gas, oil and electricity.”