Several Czech companies are starting to get into trouble. For a long time, domestic problems have been solved and businesses, which are the backbone of this economy, have been forgotten. But it is they who are perhaps most affected by high energy prices. While people will always end up being helped in some way by the state, not much is left for big business and they are expected to help themselves.
It needs to be addressed now
But it is not at all easy in this situation. High electricity and gas prices seemed to be temporary. Now, however, economists are broadly agreed that they will be with us much longer. And while it may seem at first glance that we’re out of the worst, the whole thing can quickly turn upside down. We will probably get through this winter, but at the cost of high prices and for the next it is no longer clear where the energy will come from.
At the same time, large companies have options for solving this problem, but the Czechs will not like it very much. As reported by the Volkswagen company, for example, it can easily move production elsewhere if it doesn’t get enough affordable gas here. It would be a big blow. But can they be surprised? When, for some, have energy prices increased tenfold?
Kofola boss Jannis Samaras is also very worried. He spoke very openly with Seznam Zprávy about the fact that Czech companies are far from as good shape as they might seem.
The situation is insidious. On the one hand, some companies have a record period behind them, at least in terms of turnover, but see considerable uncertainty for the coming months. For example, Kofola had to raise its drink prices three times this year. This is an unprecedented move, usually maxing out once a year. Customers have tolerated it so far, but Kofola will need to raise prices further and it’s questionable whether prices will reach a point where people will limit their purchases.
It’s worse than it looks
At the same time, the company cannot proceed otherwise. Apart from energy, everything has become more expensive. Glass or carbon dioxide cost more, but the wage demands of employees also increase. Therefore, the inflationary spiral is starting more and more.
Kofola’s boss, Samaras, sees a huge problem ahead of him. According to him, it is necessary for the state to intervene in the whole situation, and very actively. For example, it is not enough to limit energy prices, but a comprehensive approach is needed.
Everything can go wrong very quickly. According to the entrepreneur, Czech companies are in a much worse situation than it might seem. However, many of them do not want to talk about their problems publicly, so as not to harm themselves even more. This is not exactly a pleasant working environment, which can also give falsely good feedback.
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