Chip portions cut to boost business

FISH and chip shops are cutting their portion sizes in a bid to lure in healthconscious customers.

More chippies than ever are offering smaller sized meals as they fight to stay in competition against Chinese and Indian takeaways,

And salad is now firmly on many menus in order to provide customers a lowcalorie alternative, according to the National Federation of Fish Friers.

Spokesman Andrew Crook said chippies were feeling the pinch thanks to fears over obesity and the rising cost of fish. He said the federation was encouraging members to offer a smaller portion options in order to help their businesses survive.

According to the Office for National Statistics, the average price of fish and chips rose from £2.42 to £4.74 between 1996 and 2011.

Britons eat 382 million portions of takeaway a year, but fish and chip shops account for just 5.6 per cent of the market, compared with 6.4 per cent in 2009.