FISH and chip shop owners say more restaurants will close and prices will rise unless they get urgent Government support.
Reports last month revealed that some 5,000 shops could close and that prices in many parts are now up by 35%.
Takeaways and restaurants rely on Ukraine for sunflower oil and Russia for white fish.
But the war has led to a shortage of supplies and the price of the dwindling levels which are available is soaring.
Commenting on the crisis Stuart Devine, from the National Federation of Fish Fryers (NFFF), told GB News: “We’ve had a very difficult time…we were hit hard with Covid and Brexit has had an impact on us too. Now of course we’ve got the war in Ukraine. Although we fully support the Government’s actions, we are crying out to the Government for help. It’s time for the Government to step up and help us with what we need in order to survive, otherwise we are going to have mass casualties. That’s the last thing you want as it will lead to job losses at a time when we’re trying to get the sector back on its feet. I just think this industry, being so important, needs help.”
Commenting on prices increasing by 35% to £11.50 on average, he added: “They’re definitely getting expensive. We’re trying to hold the price as best we can but as the product becomes dearer and dearer it’s becoming more and more difficult. We really do have a great problem in our hands.”
The NFF president Andrew Crook added: “There are so many factors that are affecting our industry and we’re doing our best to cushion consumers.
“Nobody wants to put prices up, so we are trying to keep those price increases to a minimum but unfortunately, we are seeing inflationary prices are more or less everything that comes into our shops and then obviously the tariffs [on Russian fish] are likely to affect that.
“We have to say though we do support the Government in any action that they need to take to bring the [Ukraine] conflict to a speedier conclusion but they have to admit to and they have admitted that it’s going to affect fish and chips directly.
“My job is to protect my members and ask the Government for support not just for the fish and chips sector but the whole of hospitality.
“I think we need a long, long term planted strategy to take us forward and make sure they’re on the other side of this that will rebuild the economy.”
He said: “It’s still a great value meal, when you compare it to other meals. We’re still going to have a special place for the nation’s hearts and I think the dish of fish and chips will survive.
“But what we need to do is make sure that the shops that are paying the staff while providing the good jobs are the ones that make it through because at the moment, with the current way VAT is levied on hospitality, it’s the the good operators that want to invest in the business, the ones that use environmentally-sound packaging that are under the most threat.
“We’re asking the Government to just have a look at the way tax is levied on us and try and work with us and let’s come up with a strategy to take things forward.”
He added: “We need special consideration and we need a strategy to take us forward and that’s what we’ve been asking for months.
“Defra has been great listening to us, as well as BEIS and HMRC, but so far nobody’s acted on it and the longer this goes on the more members are under threat…so we asked for urgent action and we just need this support. We need this plan.”
