Facing an energy crisis, Germans stock up on candles
Germans are on a mission to transform their energy economy and reduce their consumption, including by — apparently — using lots of candles.
It's a great time to be a candlemaker in Germany.
"Candle demand is very strong right now," says Stefan Thomann, Technical Director of the European Candle Manufacturers Association.
The candle boom began during the pandemic, after the government imposed lockdowns and Germans began spending a lot more time at home. The industry expected the boom to end once the nation opened back up, Thomann says. "But then the war (in Ukraine) started."
Prior to Russia's invasion, Germany was getting more than of its natural gas from Russia. It was Russia's in the European Union, and many Germans used this gas to heat their homes, generate electricity, and power their factories.
