Owner of Adelaide’s Captain Chicken and Seafood, Gabriel Christou opens up to Adelaide Now about his concerns on the rising cost of business operations and what businesses are doing to avoid offloading that cost to customers.
Mr Christou, 71, says their power bill is currently roughly $2904 per quarter, but with the expected 12 per cent increase that takes their payments to $3300 per quarter.
If power bills go up the expected further 56 per cent, Mr Christou is looking at a quarterly bill of $5148.
“We’d have to increase by 22 per cent at least to cover the cost of electricity and utilities,” the shop owner said.
“There’s a disaster coming up because shopkeepers aren’t going to wear the cost, we’re going to pass it on to the consumer and that’s a problem.”
Costs of everyday business products are on the rise with cooking oil doubling from $2.30 per litre to $5.50 per litre, and essential shop produce such as fish surging from $7.60 to $8.50 per kilo.
Since manufacturing and supplier prices have already had an impact on the industry, Mr. Christou worries that 10% of fish and chip restaurants won’t be able to continue.
“We’re looking at those prices and already calculating the next year,” he said.
“Everything which has to do with electricity, and the items we use will definitely be affected.”
Source: Adelaide Now
