Caro energia, Confcommercio: bollette sempre più pesanti, urgente ridurre i costi
Gli aumenti delle bollette energetiche continuano a colpire duramente le imprese del terziario, con effetti sempre più pesanti sui costi di gestione e sulla competitività. A lanciare l’allarme è Confcommercio:...
The escalating energy bills are proving particularly burdensome to services sector businesses, causing mounting costs and eroding competitiveness, according to Confcommercio. The Confederazione Industriale del Turismo reports that in the third quarter of 2026, energy and gas expenses for businesses within the sector have surged due to rising international energy prices.
Electricity costs alone rose by 46.2% compared to the same period last year and by 66.4% compared to the previous quarter, totaling 3.8 billion euros. The average monthly bill reached 29,700 euros, affecting industries such as bars (+133%), hotels (+68%), and large retail (+67%). The gas sector also faces critical issues, with overall expenditure for services reaching 788 million euros in Q3 2026, a 72.7% increase from 2025.
The average monthly bill exceeded 11,000 euros, representing a 66.9% annual increase. Confcommercio attributes the rising bills to the new spike in global energy prices, with Brent oil surpassing $100 per barrel in early November—a 69.4% increase from October—and Amsterdam TTF gas climbing to 96.3 euro/MWh, a 173.4% annual rise.
This has pushed Italy's electricity price to a peak of 280 euro/MWh, a 143% increase. The confederation warns that this situation could further compromise company margins, already strained by weak economic growth and uncertain consumption. Urgent measures are needed to reduce the financial burden on services sector businesses, including lowering energy-related costs and improving efficiency.
Confcommercio suggests allocating the extra revenue from the increased IRAP tax on energy sector companies towards reducing systemic system burdens and potentially introducing a gas price cap of 58.9 euro/MWh through the upcoming Bollette 2026 decree. While this could help alleviate the immediate impact, the confederation believes it should only be a temporary solution and not a replacement for structural interventions to address the cost gap between Italy and other European countries.
Written by urgent.news from Il Sole 24 Ore's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
