Rising fuel prices are taking their toll on the UK’s small businesses.
Nearly a quarter (23%) have reported cutbacks in spending as a direct result of increased fuel costs.
Despite recent stabilisation of prices, much of the damage has already been done to budgets.
Small firms cut spending because of rising fuel prices
The figures from the Enterprise Rent-A-Car SME Thermometer Survey also show that small businesses are now rarely opting to see their clients face to face.
More than a quarter (26%) of SMEs reported that they travel to see their key clients once a month or less.
“The rising cost of fuel has been a major concern for most businesses in the UK for some time, but we’re now seeing a definite impact on the bedrock of British business – the small business sector,” commented Rob Ingram, director of business development at car rental firm Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
“These firms are cutting costs and changing the way they work to meet the challenge, but there is unlikely to be any dramatic drop in fuel prices any time soon. This means small businesses need to look at long term solutions to tackle the issue.
“The key has to be effective planning and ensuring that any business travel cutbacks don’t impact on their service to customers. There will always be a need to get from A to B, but using more efficient vehicles and planning journeys more effectively can have a huge impact.”
