Threat to our fish and chips
THE price of a bag of fish and chips is soaring as the cost of raw materials surges.
Chip shops are under threat as the cost of living crisis bites with staples such as potatoes set to rise by up to 50 per cent in the coming months, experts warn.
And the supply of Russian wheatgrain, used to make batter and breadcrumbs, is helping to push up prices.
Jason Leese, 50, owner of Lakeside Fish and Chips in Poole, Dorset, says he has been forced to increase his prices by 10 per cent because of food costs, rising utility bills and extraVAT.
He said: “The raw materials of ingredients for fish and chips has been affected by the conflict in Ukraine. In the last 12 months, we’ve seen cod go from £135 a box to £240. Sunflower oil, of which
Russia is a massive producer, has gone up from £18 last year to £40 a barrel.We use 25 to 30 barrels a week.This is before we mention utility bills.
“Domestic supply is protected by the price cap but as a commercial entity we’re not. We’ve seen a price increase of 300 per cent. That’s the kind of price increase we’re seeing as an industry.
“We’re a family business and we’ll be ok.We’ll get through this but I really feel for the industry of fish and chips. It’s a national institution, just like the Queen or the Rolling
Stones.”The cost of dried peas has also rocketed, with Jason paying £23.60 now compared to £11 last year. Supply has impacted the green legume because of low yields across Europe and North America. Jason, who joined the industry in 1987 after finishing school, said he expected an increase in the cost of potatoes from September because of fertiliser shortages. He said: “We didn’t increase our prices for three years because of the pandemic – but because of theVAT increase we had no choice but to increase on April 1.”
The rise inVAT to 20 per cent has put pressure on the food sector and
Jason hopes it could be lowered to up to 12 per cent. He said: “That would help hospitality and the fish and chip industry especially facing these pressures.
“I urge the public to support their fish and chip shops. Support us even if it’s buying a fish cake and chips or sausage and chips.”
Andrew Crook, president of the National Federation of Fish Friers, has been campaigning against Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s decision to increaseVAT to 20 per cent.
He hopes people will go out of their way to support their local fish and chip shop.
He ≠added: “We’re a resilient industry and we’ll adapt. Not everybody will get through it but we’ll do what we can.We hope consumers will continue to eat fish and chips – they’re so iconic and part of the fabric of the nation.”
‘Fish and chips is a national institution, like the Queen or the Rolling Stones’