Pour butchers, the famous repartee “There is a little more than expected, I put it to you anyway? » now applies to their energy bill. Like many other craftsmen, the profession is suffering from the continuous rise in the price of gaz and of electricity.
On November 29, a historic demonstration by the 99 departmental trade unions was organized in front of the National Assembly, to denounce the lack of state support and the crisis in which the world of butchery was plunged with l’inflation.
bills and men
A month and a half later, at Les Jumeaux, in Les Lilas (Seine Saint-Denis), manager Slim Loumi can only repeat the problem: “There is a very big increase in energy pricewhich is combined with an increase in the price of chicken. » The energy bill is particularly felt at the level of the two ovens, located opposite the stands of meat. “One hour of cooking cost between 5 and 7 euros. From now on, it charges 20 euros per hour, ”laments the manager. But for this follower of the more or less successful pun – and yes, we suffered the “There is no sausage” instead of the “There is no problem” – there is no question of being depressed or miserable. Whether the bills climb, “they are few. Our luck, especially compared to bakers, is that we have a lot less cooking to do. You can almost do without it. “The bill has still increased, from 1,400 euros in December 2021 to 2,140.99 euros in December 2022
You quickly notice it when looking at the displays in the window, here, the stars are the raw meats, cut in a thousand and one ways. However, the refrigeration engine of the showcases is “much less energy-intensive”, since it does not operate continuously. “We cool the display cases for the first time between 0 and 2 degrees, and the temperature remains almost ambient. So we only consume a little with that”, except for the cold room, which obviously runs continuously.
Changes to survive
We may have a smile at Les Jumeaux and never give up, this salty price increase has required some adaptations. It is obviously on the side of the oven that the major changes are happening: “We make fewer heated batches, and we have almost stopped individual cooking. It hurts my heart not to be able to please a customer, but we don’t really have a choice. » Adapt, or perish.
And speaking of offending the customer, “the prices have gone up a bit. We also reduced profit margins, but even with a little sacrifice, it took an increase in meat. “Limited increase, because here, we are well aware of it:” We want to pamper the consumer, and not scare him away. We cannot pass on energy prices to our sales, we have to find something else. »
That Slim is reassured, the customers are indeed there on this Wednesday morning, at the rendezvous of a purchase of a good piece of meat. A client in her seventies has not lost her habits, nor her talents for hyperbole: “I prefer to eat less for days and come here to buy from time to time. Look how gorgeous the meat is. The first time I walked in here I cried it was so beautiful. »
If with that Slim does not have balm in the heart, we no longer know what he needs. Back to optimism and a glass half full with the manager: “This energy crisis also allows us to consume more intelligently: we unplug electrical appliances, we turn off the light when we are not in a room… It is true that before, we paid much less attention to our superfluous energy expenditure. A mantra “It’s not Versailles here” that follows him even outside of work: “Thanks to that, I also pay more attention even at home. »
State or community aid?
Slim doesn’t have beef’s tongue in his pocket – yes, he infected us with puns – but for the moment, the manager is forced to be concise: “There are no the state or communities. We are alone in having to manage this substantial price increase. »
How does he see himself in January 2024?
You have understood the character, optimism is obviously de rigueur with Slim: “I think we’ll still be here, there’s no reason for us to disappear. The rise in prices only affects certain very specific parts of our sector of activity, which can easily be reduced. »
If the Les Jumeaux butcher shop should therefore not close shop, a more unfavorable fate may await the chickens: “It is possible that we will stop the poultry, in any case cooked. Of course we have the love of the customer, but despite all the good will in the world, we can’t sell at a loss either. »
