Small businesses, put to the wall by the price at the pump. The survey that shows how rising fuel prices are suffocating Romanian entrepreneurs
The increase in fuel prices puts small businesses in Romania at a standstill. A survey conducted at the request of “Adevărul” among the 67,000 members of the “Group of Small Entrepreneurs” confirms a worrying reality: the increasing costs of diesel and gasoline have become an unbearable pressure for the local business environment.
The increase in fuel prices puts pressure on Romanian entrepreneurs. Archive photo
The data clearly shows that the impact is no longer marginal: 53% of entrepreneurs say that the price increase significantly affects their business, while 19% say they are still managing to adapt. For 17%, the effects are, for now, limited, and 11% do not feel significant changes. Overall, the results indicate a noticeable deterioration in operating conditions, especially for companies dependent on transport and logistics.
According to Mona Bardos, founder of Hubium.io and initiator of the community, it is no longer a simple concern, but a concrete impact on profitability.
“The results clearly show that we are already talking about a real impact, not a theoretical concern. For more than half of entrepreneurs, the cost of fuel has become a factor that destabilizes their budgets and directly affects their profitability. Even those who say that they are still adapting, they do so, most of the time, through compromises – reducing margins, postponing investments or forced optimizations in operations.
It is important to understand that this pressure does not remain isolated domestically. Over time, it spreads in the chain: in prices, in the relationship with customers and suppliers, but also in the pace of business development. For many companies, especially in transport, distribution or services, fuel becomes a critical cost, difficult to absorb in the long term.
We also see a clear difference between companies that already have adaptation mechanisms – whether we are talking about logistics optimization, digitization or contract renegotiation – and those that react on the fly, under pressure. In the coming period, the ability to quickly adapt and strategic decisions will make the difference between businesses that remain stable and those that will fully feel these price increases“, explained Mona Bardos for “Adevărul”.
The rise in diesel represents a real cost shock
A complementary perspective is provided by Sorin Spiridon, founder of TPC Concept, who points out that the approximately 30% increase in the price of diesel compared to the end of 2025 represents a real cost shock, but the impact is deeply differentiated from one company to another.
In addition, Spiridon told “Adevărul”, this impact does not come in isolation, companies face a real cocktail of threats: energy, wages, interest, fuels, pressures that accumulate and amplify the final effect on profitability.
The invisible ordinance to combat the increase in fuel prices: “The risk of shortage decreases, but the effects are non-existent”
“Two variables make the difference. The first is the share of logistics costs: for carriers or distribution, the impact is direct and significant, while for services the effect is limited. The second, and most important, is the competitive position.
Well-positioned companies with a strong brand, clear niche or stable contracts will be able to pass on cost increases to customers. The others will be able to transfer only partially and will have to absorb the difference or reduce costs. But it is important to emphasize that these variable expenses must be fully transferred to customers, because otherwise they generate direct losses, regardless of how well the rest is managed.
Vulnerable companies, with small margins and no differentiation, are the ones that quickly reach the area of difficult decisions: aggressive cost cuts or even restructuring”, Spyridon declared.
On the other hand, he says, the excise duty reduction is a positive signal, but insufficient to compensate for the recent increases.
“In this context, companies can no longer base their strategy on temporary measures, but must clearly understand their exposure and act: logistics optimization, price adjustments, renegotiation of contracts.
We work with companies exactly in this area: we identify where the margin is lost — often not in costs, but in pricing or discounts — we analyze the cost structure in relation to the competitive position and help to realign the commercial model with the new market context. The goal is not to manage the crisis, but to emerge from it better positioned than when they entered.
The fuel crisis does not create new problems, it accelerates existing ones. Solid companies stay solid. The fragile ones don't have time to postpone anymore”the specialist pointed out.
Operating costs increased by 10-12%
From the perspective of the entrepreneurial environment, George Udriște, CEO of Princemob Buro, confirms the direct impact on operational costs, especially in transport and logistics, where they have increased by approximately 10–12% in recent months.
“These increases are putting real pressure on margins, and potential excise duty cuts, while welcome, are not quickly offsetting the effects in the market.
In times like this, I think there are two types of entrepreneurs: those who complain and those who sell handkerchiefs. We choose to be in the second category.
We do not consider layoffs or downsizing. We focus on concrete measures: optimizing delivery routes, cost efficiency and adapting the offer to products with increased demand. For example, the segment of second-hand office furniture has seen an increase in interest of 15–20%, being an effective solution for companies reducing their budgets”said George Udriște for “Adevărul”.
He emphasized that companies that can adapt “survive” even in times of crisis and that the message that small entrepreneurs send to the market is very important. “
“Let's not forget that Uber, Airbnb, Amazon, Microsoft, are what they are today because of (and not because of) a crisis, and the explosion of fuel prices can generate a major crisis just maybe. I live with the hope that normal times will return sooner than some analysts expect“, said Udriste.
