Small business owner Camilla Stenberg has temporarily closed her café Dalstugan in Gantofta, near Helsingborg, citing unsustainable electricity costs as the primary reason. According to reports, Stenberg's first electricity bill of the year reached approximately 6,000 SEK, which is about three times higher than her usual payments.
The café, which has operated for ten years, typically opens Friday through Monday but closed for the first time this past weekend due to financial pressures. Stenberg reportedly stated that the situation is 'frightening' and that she cannot pass the increased costs onto customers.
the situation is 'frightening' and that she cannot pass the increased costs onto customers
Electricity prices in southern Sweden's electricity area 4 averaged 1.13 SEK per kilowatt-hour in January, with February expected to bring even higher costs. The Swedish Federation of Small Businesses (Småföretagarnas riksförbund) has recently highlighted in a report that small Swedish businesses are disproportionately disadvantaged in the electricity market, where larger companies often pay lower electricity taxes.
Industry representatives in Skåne have expressed similar concerns, with electricity prices reportedly increasing by 144 percent over ten years. Business leaders warn that high electricity costs threaten investments, growth, and long-term employment in the region. Stenberg has not specified when she might reopen her café, noting that the decision depends on weather conditions and electricity price developments.