All posts by fletcher@cijeurope.com.

Czech government to raise tolls for trucks by 5% starting January 2025

The Czech government has approved a plan to increase tolls for trucks over 3.5 tons by up to 5% starting in January 2025. This hike, part of a newly approved regulation, specifically targets the portion of toll fees tied to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. However, the rates for buses will remain unchanged. The move aims to boost revenues for the State Fund for Transport Infrastructure (SFDI) and encourage carriers to switch to lower-emission vehicles, according to František Jemelka, spokesperson for the Ministry of Transport.

“The goal of this regulation is twofold: to raise revenue for the SFDI, which supports the construction, repair, and maintenance of motorways and roads, and to motivate carriers to use vehicles with lower CO2 emissions,” said Jemelka.

The increase will affect the fourth toll component, which covers CO2 emissions, while tolls for buses (categorized as M2 and M3 vehicles) will remain the same. Additionally, electric vehicles and hydrogen-powered vehicles will continue to be exempt from these charges.

The Ministry of Transport expects the toll increase to generate an additional 800 million crowns for the SFDI. This year, the state aims to collect 16.43 billion crowns in tolls, with 11.36 billion already collected by August, marking a 14.8% year-on-year rise.

The government also discussed the future of toll collection after 2029, when current contracts with toll operators expire. Following a Cabinet meeting, officials confirmed that no major changes to the tolling system are planned, and there are no plans to expand tolls to other vehicle categories, such as motorcycles.

Source: CTK

Poland’s economic indicator rises slightly in September 2024, domestic demand remains key driver

The Forward Looking Indicator (WWK), which tracks trends in the economy, increased by 1 point in September 2024 compared to the previous month. Despite the modest rise, the indicator remains below its last local peak recorded in January of this year.

Domestic demand continues to serve as the primary driver of the economy, compensating for the marked weakening of foreign demand. According to the latest report, this trend is expected to persist, and may even strengthen, as wage growth continues to outpace inflation. Additionally, flood relief efforts are likely to boost household, business, and public sector spending in the medium term.

However, a shift in the structure of economic growth is not anticipated until late 2024 or beyond, when funds from the National Investment Programme (NIP) are set to be deployed to support investment.

The WWK consists of eight components, three of which improved slightly in September, four remained mostly unchanged, and one deteriorated. The factors driving this month’s increase include a slight improvement in the financial situation of manufacturing companies, a reduction in product inventories, and a rise in consumer interest in bank credit.

While the financial situation of companies has shown signs of improvement, a majority of businesses surveyed by the Central Statistical Office (CSO) still report financial difficulties. Some firms appear to have weathered the initial impact of increased costs associated with the minimum wage hike, compensating by raising prices.

Household borrowing saw a 0.5% month-on-month increase, with a nearly 2% rise over the past year. Consumers predominantly opted for cash credit, installment credit, and mortgages, although mortgage lending slowed in August due to pending government decisions on a first-home financing scheme.

Manufacturing companies also significantly reduced their inventories of finished goods in September. This move was aimed at adjusting inventory levels to meet reduced demand, while simultaneously allowing firms to maintain production levels in the coming months, even if demand continues to fall.

However, no significant uptick in new orders was reported, with foreign demand continuing to decline. The largest reductions in orders were noted among companies producing capital and intermediate goods.

In addition, labour productivity in the manufacturing sector has been on a steady decline throughout 2024, falling by a further 3% in August compared to July. This decline underscores the challenges faced by the sector as demand weakens both domestically and internationally.

Source: BIEC

Pizzeria traffic drops 10.3% in summer 2024 amid economic and seasonal factors in Poland

Traffic in pizzerias across Poland fell by 10.3% year-on-year from June to August 2024, according to a report by Proxi.cloud and UCE Research. The study also revealed a 3.2% drop in footfall at sandwich and chicken restaurants during the same period. Both types of eateries saw double-digit customer losses, with pizzerias experiencing an 11.4% decline and sandwich and chicken establishments losing 1.7% of their customers.

Łukasz Pytlewski of Proxi.cloud noted that this decline is not necessarily linked to changing dietary habits among Poles but rather to a combination of seasonal and economic factors. “The specifics of the holiday season and the economic situation of Poles likely contributed to the reduction in dining-out occasions. Additionally, the growing trend of ordering meals through delivery apps may have shifted some traffic away from in-person visits,” Pytlewski explained.

Looking ahead, Pytlewski said no significant changes in footfall are expected for fast food restaurants in the near term. However, long-term trends could pose challenges for traditional establishments as app-based delivery services continue to expand. “The escalation of this phenomenon could become a significant challenge for businesses in this market,” he added.

The report also highlighted an 11.4% drop in customer numbers at pizzerias, a decline that Mateusz Chołuj of Proxi.cloud believes will impact pizza chains financially. Chołuj suggested that businesses may respond to this decline by raising prices to offset losses. However, UCE Research analysts pointed out that reduced in-store traffic doesn’t necessarily mean lower earnings, as more people are choosing to order takeout rather than dine in.

In contrast, the decline in footfall at sandwich and chicken restaurants was less severe, at just 1.7%. Pytlewski attributed this to increased advertising efforts by these chains, which may have helped mitigate the losses.

The report also analyzed customer visit frequency and duration. While pizzerias saw a slight 1.2% increase in the average number of visits per customer, sandwich and chicken outlets experienced a 1.5% decline. Additionally, the average visit duration at pizzerias increased by 2%, while sandwich and chicken establishments saw a modest 0.4% increase.

Chołuj suggested that these changes reflect the balance between on-site consumption and takeaway orders. “The similar visit durations at both types of restaurants could indicate that takeaway orders have become more common at pizzerias compared to sandwich and chicken places,” he explained.

The study was based on traffic data from more than 1,800 major fast food locations, including McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Domino’s Pizza, and monitored the behavior of nearly 3 million consumers.

Source: Proxi.cloud, UCE Research and ISBnews

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