Hairdressers across the Netherlands opened on Monday and as the shaggy-haired nation queued up for cuts, some customers were surprised to see a rise in prices.

Hairdressers’ association ANKO said that many of their members have increased the cost of their services, while bookings services have already taken a month’s worth of reservations.

‘There are a lot of hairdressers that have put their prices up,’ spokeswoman Gonny Eussen told DutchNews.nl.

‘It’s not just that they were shut. We see that the costs for hairdressers have gone up, because they cannot see as many clients at the same time and they have greater protection costs.’

The union, which represents 70% of the nation’s industry, will begin polling its members next week on issues including pricing, their financial vulnerability and working in the 1.5m society, where plastic face guards and face masks are the new essentials alongside a sharp pair of scissors.

‘The main automatic bookings services say that in three days this week they had as many bookings as they normally have in one month,’ she added. ‘Everyone wants to go to the hairdresser.’

Earlier this week, prime minister Mark Rutte tweeted about his visit to ‘t Haarhuis and how they were following the new safety rules – although it was unclear if he himself had taken the opportunity for a trim or inquired about the prices.

Vanaf deze week zijn de kappers weer open, tot vreugde van veel mensen in Nederland én van de kappers zelf. De zaak waar ik vanochtend was doet er alles aan om op een veilige manier te werken. Ook nu staan ondernemers weer voorop met creatieve en praktische oplossingen. pic.twitter.com/oEzARy57op

— Mark Rutte (@MinPres) May 14, 2020

Scarcity

Some economic experts have said that – although consumer spending has dropped drastically and consumer confidence has plunged – they expect prices for scarce goods and services to rise.

This includes bars and restaurants which are expected to be able to open with strict distancing rules in the months ahead. Hospitality sector association Koninklijke Horeca Nederland told DutchNews.nl that consumers should not be surprised about future cost increases.

‘From an economic point of view, you must incur extra costs due to the new demands around hygiene and access,’ said a spokesperson. ‘There is service to pay for as well, and so you could easily defend a higher price. It depends on market forces, it is really up to the individual entrepreneur to assess what is the best choice.’

This week, contact professions such as hair salons and massage parlours were allowed to reopen, and on June 1 the next wave of cinemas, outdoor terraces and cafes and restaurants will be allowed to open with a maximum of 30 people.