In the first six months of 2025 alone, micro, small, and medium-sized businesses in Sardinia paid €147 million more for electricity than the European average. This extra cost accounted for 0.38% of the regional GDP.
The alarm was raised by a report produced by the Research Office of Confartigianato Imprese Sardegna , using data from Eurostat, Arera and Terna, which analyzed the electricity bills of small businesses on the island in the food, fashion, furniture, wood, metals and other manufacturing sectors, including jewelry and eyewear, comparing them with those of similar sizes in the rest of the 27 European nations.
"We need to restore balance and fairness in the energy costs paid by businesses," says Giacomo Meloni, President of Confartigianato Imprese Sardegna. "These businesses can no longer be considered cash machines."
"The high energy prices are hindering the competitiveness of small businesses," Meloni adds. "First of all, we need to recalibrate the tax burden on bills for different sizes of entrepreneurs and users, which currently penalizes micro, small, and medium-sized businesses forced to pay for large energy consumers. Our businesses aren't asking for privileges, but for clear and fair rules."
The island ranks tenth in a national distribution opened by the highest extra cost recorded in Lombardy with 1,021 million euros (18.9% of the total), equal to 0.22% of the region's GDP, followed by Veneto with 563 million (10.4%), equal to 0.31% of GDP, Emilia-Romagna with 496 million (9.2%), equal to 0.27% of GDP and Puglia with 410 million (7.6%), equal to 0.47% of GDP (3rd highest weight among the regions).
At the regional level, the highest percentage impact on GDP is found in the province of South Sardinia, with 0.42% and €25 million in additional costs compared to the EU. Cagliari follows with 0.39% and €53 million, Nuoro with 0.37% and €17 million, and Oristano with 0.36% and €11 million. Sassari-Olbia comes in last with 0.35% and €42 million.
