Business leaders in the fish and chips industry are calling on the government to propose a “long-term strategy” for the food shortage crisis – or to face the closure of a third of the chips.
The National Deep Fryers Federation (NFFF) has warned that the four key ingredients that make up the traditional fish and chips dish have been hit hard by the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine – forcing stores to change their menus, raise prices or bad case, close.
The United Kingdom relies heavily on Ukraine for sunflower oil. The NFFF said 50 percent of the oil used by British fish and chips stores came from the war-torn country – and alternatives such as rapeseed oil and palm oil have risen in price.
Up to 40% of cod and haddock come from Russia – and UK sanctions against Russian whitefish will make these North Sea supplies more scarce and expensive.
Potato fertilizers – mainly from Russia – have tripled. The flour used for fish dough mixes is also from the region.
As a result, there is a global shortage of key ingredients, which means that costs are rising as profit margins decline.
Knights is a fish and chips store in Glastonbury.
It is believed to be one of the oldest family chips in the United Kingdom, which began trading in Somerset during the reign of Queen Victoria.
The impact of COVID and the cost of living crisis have hit family businesses like this hard.
Image: Knight family
“The worst times are coming”
George Morrie, 29, runs the food at home.
Image: George Mori
The family business survived two world wars, recessions and a global pandemic.
But George worries that the war in Ukraine could be the nail in the coffin.
He said: “Will there be enough (fish) if we refuse to buy Russian white fish? This is a really big concern.
“Will we have to consider finding another product on the menu to replace fish and chips – could the impact be so extreme?” I think if prices continue to rise, that may be something we have in mind. “
George added: “We need to prepare for the worst times ahead and I think this is probably the biggest challenge the fish and chips industry has ever faced.”
Image: James Lipscomb
Entrepreneur James Lipscomb owns 40 fish and chips stores across the country.
He has diversified his range – adding to the menu lesser-known fish, such as hake – to offer his regular customers dishes at affordable prices.
He told Sky News: “I’ve never seen anything like it.
“I see much of the closure of fish and chips shops this week in the UK. I see shops closing and this is a really sad situation. “
Request for action
He added: “We have been doing this for a really long time as a family. We have been involved in this industry for almost 100 years. It is sad to see what is happening without the fault of these businesses.”
Read more: Climate change could threaten traditional fish and chips
Industry leaders are desperate for intervention.
Andrew Crook, president of the National Fish Frying Federation, called on the government to act more urgently.
He told Sky News that many of its members believe the government is “not interested” in the potential damage facing its sector.
Image: Andrew Crook, President of the National Deep Fryers Federation
“Act now! We need action before long-term damage can be done that cannot be repaired,” he said.
“We are not looking for alms. We are a proud industry. But a lot of businesses will go to the wall, and we need a long-term strategy to guide us. ”
A government spokesman told Sky News that he would “continue to speak with the industry body, the National Federation of Fish Fryers and other industry representatives about the current pressures they face”.
The future of this marine product remains unclear.
But there are concerns that if the situation does not change, it will mean less availability – and probably higher prices – for those looking for one of the nation’s favorite dishes.
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