The Federation of Bakers of Greece has made an urgent appeal to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for immediate support measures to tackle higher energy costs, warning that traditional neighbourhood bakeries face the risk of further closures.
In an open letter, the federation is calling for the immediate introduction of an emergency state subsidy for energy and electricity, arguing that rising operating costs are threatening the viability of thousands of small businesses in the sector.
According to figures cited by the federation, the average wholesale price of electricity stood at €155.083/MWh in August 2026, rising to €187.567/MWh in September. For October, estimates cited by the federation suggest the price could exceed €190/MWh.
Bakers contrast this with the support measures introduced in 2024-2025, when, they say, the sector received a special subsidy of €0.04/kWh, 50% more than the amount granted to other businesses. They note that, despite energy costs remaining particularly high, there is currently no equivalent support scheme.
The federation says a build-up of problems is putting further pressure on craft bakeries, noting that around 1,500 have closed in recent years. The factors weighing on the sector include higher operating costs and competition from bake-off outlets.
“The neighbourhood bakery needs energy at affordable prices to keep its ovens fired up and continue supplying bread to the public,” the federation says in its letter, stressing that a state subsidy is not simply another union demand but a matter of survival for the sector.
It is also seeking a meeting with the prime minister to outline the situation facing traditional bakeries and discuss solutions before the crisis leads to further business closures.