One-third of the country’s nearly 10,000 fish-and-chip restaurants could close in the next nine months, said Andrew Crook, president of the National Federation of Fish Fryers. He told CNN Business that the crisis was the worst he had ever seen.
The trade group represents 1,200 fish-and-chip businesses and has been running for over a century.
“Across the board, everything has gone up,” Crook said.
Businesses across the industry are struggling with rising prices as supply chain snarls increase due to the war in Ukraine. But British fish and chip shops, which traditionally operate under very narrow margins, are feeling a particular pressure due to the industry’s reliance on Russian imports.
Up to 40% of the industry’s cod and haddock come from Russian waters, and about half of its sunflower oil is imported from Ukraine, Crook said.
Fish and Chips is an unofficial national dish in the United Kingdom. According to the trade group, the first stores opened in the 1860s and spread rapidly as the country became more industrialized, helping to feed the factory workers. During World War II, the government provided rations of other staple foods, such as tea, butter, meat, fish, and chips, so food was important to the working class.
Consumers expect their fish and chips to be cheaper, Crook said. A year ago, the average price of a regular cod and chips would be around £ 7, Crook said. Now, he estimates it’s about £ 8.50 – a 21% increase.
“We’re risking our own pricing out of the market … We’re trying to keep growth as low as possible,” Crook said. Some have already turned their backs.
“I lost some regular customers who came every Friday,” he added.
A case of Icelandic cord now costs £ 270 ($ 331), up from £ 140 ($ 176) at this time last year, Crook said.
More than half a million small businesses in the UK – This is one in about 10 – plans to close, reduce or sell as much funding as it needs to fight to secure next year, according to a survey by the Federation of Small Business.
For Crook, the fate of his shop is personal.
“It’s more than just a job. For many of us, we’ve taken over the family business,” he said. “I’m the second generation in the business – and you don’t want it to fail on your watch.”
