All 21 fast food restaurants of “Bruno Foodcorner” in Limburg, Flanders will now close their doors between 00:00 and 05:00 from 3 October and cut 40 jobs. According to Luca Bruno, retail manager for the Bruno Group, the move is ultimately motivated by the skyrocketing price of energy.
“Energy prices have exploded and it is not viable to keep our establishments open 24 a day,” the manager said.
Many businesses across Belgium have seen a massive increase in their energy bills. Companies are now forced to suspend or reduce their activities to maintain profitability. The construction sector has been hit especially hard, with several companies shutting down production facilities, leading to thousands of redundancies.
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The food retail sector is not immune to these pressures. Bruno says that his chain’s bills have increased massively, ultimately forcing his hand.
“In our store in Genk-Nord… we have recorded an additional energy cost of 50,000 over the last six months. This represents an additional 2.50 per pizza. Over the next three months, energy prices will increase tenfold, it’s simply unaffordable,” the manager lamented.
The Bruno Foodcorner stores, a cornerstone of late-night food in Limburg, will no longer serve fast food at night until 31 March, 2023.
