Per editor: Li Zedong
According to the Associated Press quoted by the Beijing News on November 30, UNESCO decided at a meeting in Morocco this week to inscribe French baguettes (baguettes) on the United Nations Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
Audrey Azoulay, head of UNESCO and former Minister of Culture of France, said the decision was not only a tribute to bread, but also a recognition of artisanal bakers' virtuosity and "everyday rituals".
"It is important that the craft of making baguettes can continue to exist in the future." Azoulay added.
The Associated Press reported that baguettes are a traditional food in France, and the number of French bakeries continues to decrease, with 400 closing every year, so it is necessary to include baguettes on the list of intangible cultural heritage as a precious tradition that humanity needs to protect.
Image source: Photogram ID: 501415712
Costs have soared, and bakeries in many European countries are under severe pressure
According to CCTV news reports, with the continuation of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and Western sanctions against Russia, the price of food, fuel and other prices in many European countries has increased, and inflation has intensified. Bakeries in many European countries are under severe pressure.
The owner of a bakery in Budapest, the Hungarian capital, said the store's operating bills in July were three times higher than the previous month, and he is now worried about how to pay the bills and keep the bakery running.
The cost of bread production surged, directly pushing up the price of Hungarian bread. Local catering industry people said that in addition to the impact of rising prices of bread raw materials such as wheat and inflation due to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, another factor that led to the soaring cost of bread production is the energy crisis.
Image source: CCTV News
Among EU member states, Germany, which is more dependent on Russian energy, is also having a hard time. Many industries have been affected by the energy crisis and soaring raw material prices, with bakeries being one of the hardest hit.
Peter Hermeler, who runs more than a dozen bakeries and supermarkets in Germany, expects the company's electricity bill to be four times higher this year.
Peter Hermeler, bakery owner: We're going to pay about €300,000 or €310,000 a year for electricity, and maybe four times as much in the future, which could put a company in trouble.
Due to the sharp rise in energy costs, many European bakeries are struggling to operate and are on the verge of closure.
Image source: CCTV News
Bakery owner Dennis Tobaste: I have here last year's gas bill from a Dutch utility. The exact same period, both in August, last August we paid 919 euros and this August we paid 4688 euros. That's just a month's bill.
Friedman Berg, Managing Director of the German Bakers' Federation: Many bakery companies are worried about how they will spend the next few months. They are experiencing a "tsunami" of costs. We have all the necessary expenses, and the cost of raw materials, especially energy, has risen and is rising dramatically.
Image source: CCTV News
In Vienna, Austria's capital, a bakery with a history of about 500 years also faces a difficult situation due to high food prices and shortage of personnel.
The "Arthur Green Bakery" in the heart of Vienna has been running for about 500 years and has been doing well since the 16th century by the local Madna family, and its current owner, Andreas Madner, opened three branches in Vienna in 2003.
Today, the bakery is struggling due to rising costs and a shortage of staff due to severe inflation in Austria. Andreas had to close one of its branches and shorten the opening hours of the others.
Andreas said butter prices have more than doubled compared to last November, and prices for other raw materials are also facing varying degrees of increases. Andreas' bakery has raised prices twice this year, but it still can't keep up with inflation.
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