Energy crisis: targeted aid deemed insufficient, leaving very small businesses exposed

In recent days, the rise in fuel prices at the pump, sometimes by several tens of cents in a few days, has revived concerns among small businesses about the evolution of their operating costs.

By recalling that the State was no longer in a "whatever it takes" mindset, government spokesperson Maud Bréjon set the framework for public responses.

For Marc Sanchez, general secretary of the SDI: “A government that simply explains it has no money is a government that proclaims its impotence, which always ends up costing the French people dearly. By refusing to act, it leaves small businesses to absorb the shocks alone. In a country that remains the seventh largest economy in the world and one of those with the highest tax burdens, such a situation directly calls into question the capacity of public action to respond effectively to economic crises—and reveals clear shortcomings in the way it is currently being conducted. What entrepreneurs expect today are not mere observations or symbolic visits to gas stations, but decisions, reforms, and a strategy.”

Limited announcements in the face of the scale of the crisis

The measures rely mainly on cash flow facilities (payment deadlines, deferrals of charges), which are considered insufficient to compensate for the rise in energy costs.

Several sectors concerned have already expressed their reservations about the immediate impact of these measures.

A large proportion of local micro-enterprises are thus left without a suitable solution.

Very small businesses are particularly exposed to a risk of rapid collapse

Traders, craftsmen, the self-employed, and professionals face multiple vulnerabilities: unavoidable energy costs, weak negotiating power, and limited cash flow.

In this context, rising energy prices put immediate pressure on margins, increase costs and exacerbate cash flow problems, potentially weakening local businesses in the long term.

A question of public priorities

Announcements regarding the reduction of public spending or the boost to productivity have not resulted in concrete measures in the 2024, 2025 and 2026 budget laws.

In the context of an energy crisis, this situation raises questions about the ability to effectively direct public resources towards the real economy and local businesses.

The risk is now clear: an energy crisis can turn into a crisis for local micro-enterprises.

Illustrative image of the article via Depositphotos.com.