The energy company E.on has demanded a significantly higher gas bill from the Hanoverian bakery owned by Eckehard Vatter, sending his company a bill of €330,000 for gas consumption over the past four months. In addition, the man has to pay the amount within 14 days, German news outlet Junge Freiheit reported.
“Are they crazy?” Vatter reacted indignantly, according to the Bild newspaper. “A year ago, we paid €5,856 per month in gas costs for our large furnaces and heating,” he explained.
The chief of the family business had formerly concluded a contract with a price guarantee until the end of 2023. However, it was allegedly suddenly terminated. Now, his new energy supplier is demanding a price increase of 1,200 percent. Vatter has not received a reason for the increased price.
Since his large bakery is a craft business under commercial law, he could not receive any support from the state. He claims to have paid around €19.9 million in taxes in recent years. That’s why Vatter recently took part in a demonstration in Hanover with approximately 1,000 colleagues under the motto: “Soon the oven will be turned off!”
