The price of bread is also at risk of increase due to energy and fuel costs

In the current international war scenario, the fear of bakers is that the price of a loaf may exceed critical thresholds for Italian families. While the price of wheat is influenced by international markets, it is the cost of transformation (energy and labor) that today accounts for over 60% of the final price.

This is stated by the Associazione Fornai Milano.

The government is called to urgent interventions: tax credits on energy and price controls on agricultural fuels seem to be the only lifelines for a sector that cannot afford to shut down. Without assistance, the risk is that bread, the primary good par excellence, may become a luxury due to a perfect storm: out-of-control energy costs and skyrocketing fuel prices, the Association states.

The heart of the problem - add the Milanese bakers - is energy. The production of bread is an energy-intensive process. Baking: ovens, whether gas or electric, must remain on for hours at high temperatures. Proofing: temperature-controlled chambers operate 24 hours a day. Distribution: delivery vans for morning deliveries are the first to feel the rise in fuel prices. With gas rates closely tied to geopolitical tensions, many bakers find themselves at a dramatic crossroads: raise prices for the public or lower the shutters.

According to the Associazione Fornai Milano, bakers will see production costs increase by 45% for electricity and gas, 25% for logistics and deliveries, and 20% for the transportation of flours by 2026.