Spiralling electricity bills are crippling butchers’ margins and could result in an avalanche of shop closures unless the Government fast-tracks supports.

Jack Molloy of the Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland (ACBI) said surging electricity costs were leading to shop closures and threatening the viability of businesses right across the country.

Molloy, who is ACBI president, explained that electricity costs had doubled or trebled for many butchers, with unit costs increasing from 15-17c/kWh to 50-60-70c/kWh in some instances.

“I have members where their monthly electricity bills have gone from €1,400-1,500 to as high as €4,500,” Molloy said.

“This is a crisis. We have had six shops close down in the last three weeks. Butchering businesses are just dying on their feet as we speak,” he added.

Because butcher shops have cold rooms, freezers and fridges running around the clock, they have been particularly hard hit by the recent hike in electricity charges.

“Butchers can’t just hand these higher costs on to the consumer. That’s not an option,” Molloy said.

More urgency

While the Government has flagged its intention to introduce a 40% rebate on the increase in energy charges to businesses, Molloy called for more urgency in the response from the authorities.

He said the rebate legislation needed to be fast-tracked through the Oireachtas if businesses are to be saved.

“We need greater urgency from the Government on the rebate. We need a timeline on when it will be introduced and a clear pathway on how businesses can apply and when they will be paid,” Molloy insisted.

In a recent letter to all TDs, the ACBI outlined the serious situation facing the country’s butchers. It warned that the 40% rebate on energy price increases for the retail sector would not be sufficient to alleviate the pressures on butcher shops.

It said an 80% rebate should be considered for high-energy dependent businesses such as butcher shops.

“This crisis has the potential to do a lot of damage to the trade. Butcher shops are an integral part of the community, and if we lose them we are not going to get them back,” Molloy warned.