Norfolk's chippies urge government to step in as prices of key ingredients soar
Prices of potatoes, fish, four and fats have increased by an average of 13 per cent, over the past year
Last updated 4th Aug 2022
Chippies across Norfolk are calling on the Government to step in as prices of key ingredients continues to rise, owing to climbing inflation and the war in Ukraine.
Research from the Labour party shows that the prices of potatoes, fish, four and fats have increased by an average of 13 per cent, over the past year.
"Some people aren't coming weekly now"
Miles is the owner of Long John Hill Fish bar, which is based in Norwich.
He told us what they have been doing to weather the storm: "For us we had to cut back on staff to lower our costs and we're also looking at bringing in different species of fish to save money elsewhere as well.
"Prices have had to go up though, as wholesale cod prices have gone up by 60% since January and it's thought that they are going to go up even further in the next month or so.
"We have only increased our prices by 20% so we have swallowed 40%- but, how much more can we go on with that?"
Miles went on to tell us that the cost of living is already having an impact: "It's affecting our bottom line and the prices that we pass on to our customers. We're quite lucky because we are quite a busy shop and we are supported well within the local community, but some people aren't coming weekly now and are coming fortnightly instead, everyone is feeling the pinch at the moment".
"Two shops in the city that have closed in the last month"
He says shops like his need help now: "They the Government need to step in and do something, because some are predicting that a third or maybe more chip shops will close this year- so if they don't do something like a VAT reduction, I think we will those sort of numbers come true.
"I know of two shops in the city that have closed in the last month citing price increases as the reason they have shut."