Energy costs surge: Brescia businesses face higher bills with increases up to 50%

Brescia. The rise in energy prices is once again weighing on Brescia’s businesses, hitting at the most delicate moment for many activities linked to tourism. Hotels, restaurants, bars, beach facilities and shops have faced electricity bill increases exceeding 40%, in some cases approaching 50% during the summer months.

The impact has been particularly significant for businesses on the Garda and Sebino lakes, but also for those in the city and in mountain areas, where summer represents a crucial share of annual turnover.

The situation is made even more concerning by the trend of inflation. According to Istat’s preliminary estimate, in August the national consumer price index rose 0.5% compared to July and 3.3% year‑on‑year, accelerating from July’s +2.9% and reaching the highest levels since early 2026. Energy products are driving prices upward: already in July, regulated energy prices had increased 14.8% year‑on‑year, after +9.2% in June.

According to Confesercenti nazionale, current international energy price levels could generate half a percentage point of additional inflation between 2026 and 2027, making the risk of reaching 4% by the last quarter of the year increasingly concrete.

Between June and August, rising energy costs produced an estimated €870 million in additional expenses for Italian businesses in retail, hospitality and food service, according to a Confesercenti nazionale analysis carried out with Gruppo Innova.

In the Brescia area, the impact is particularly heavy because many businesses concentrate a large share of their annual turnover in the three summer months.

For a medium‑sized hotel with 45 rooms, summer electricity costs increased by around €4,000, equal to +48.5%. For a restaurant, the estimated increase is around €1,000 (+47.6%), while for a bar it is roughly €550, corresponding to +44%.

These costs, especially along the Brescia shore of Lake Garda and on the Sebino, risk eroding in just a few weeks a significant portion of the margins built over the entire season.