Small businesses clogged by price increases

摘要

The words on everyone's lips over the past few months have been 'credit crunch' and 'small businesses'. And with the Government warning everyone of the severity of the economic situation, it doesn't seem like we'll be talking about anything else anytime soon.rnSmall businesses have suffered from a hike in energy prices, overdraft and loan fees and of course, fuel prices. The UK's 4.7 million small businesses have already faced a challenging year and 2009 looks set to be just as testing, if not more so. Higher operating costs, narrowing margins, the long-term burden of volatile fuel prices, and red tape will all continue to dog even the most optimistic small business owner.