The Guardian: Beauty salons in Britain are threatened with closure due to the price of electricity
The British newspaper “The Guardian” said that research indicates that more than a quarter of hairdressers in Britain are considering closing their shops or reducing the size of their salon, as stylists suffer from high bills due to electricity amid the cost of living crisis and fewer clients.
And a fifth of salon owners say they worry about the future, with almost a quarter struggling to pay their own energy costs and one in five having to seek financial help from family and friends, according to a survey by comparison site Uswitch.
Independent hairdressers and salon owners were hardest hit by rising energy bills and squeezed consumer spending among independent retailers last year - net closings amounted to 624 salons, according to local data. Newspapers - where the closing rate among their stores reached 225.
About a quarter of beauty salons were making losses, up from 19% in the fall, the National Hair and Beauty Federation said, and two-thirds expect to raise prices this spring amid more uncertainty about business survival. She called for more government support for the bills.
Paul Faulkner, a beauty salon owner in Cambridgeshire, said his energy bills had risen by nearly a third and he had to pay those costs after signing a three-year deal due to fears of rising prices.
He said an increase in the minimum wage this month had added £200 a week to his costs while the price of products, such as shampoo and serum, had risen by around 5%.
“Everyone is finding it hard,” Faulkner said, adding that his suppliers “continue to overcharge for things.”
He added, “The rising cost of energy is a major issue for my business. We need to continue to provide the best possible service to customers without having to raise prices, but unfortunately it is becoming more difficult.”
