Is the UK’s traditional fish and chip supper under threat?

Britain’s traditional fish and chip supper is under pressure from rising fish prices and tighter catch limits, to the knock-on effects of global conflict and higher energy costs. The National Federation of Fish Friers says the number of shops selling fish and chips has fallen from more than 30,000 to around 9,000 in recent years, amid increasing financial strain. For over a decade, Brockley’s Rock in South East London has been serving customers from its Lewisham shopfront after opening in 2011, building on experience in the trade that dates back to 1989. But what cost £1.65 for haddock and chips when the founder first entered the trade in 1989 and £5.90 when this shop opened in 2011 now costs £15.55 for a typical portion of haddock and chips served with mushy peas. That increase reflects not just inflation but a sharp hike in costs over recent years, with prices in some cases more than doubling in a short period. Kyri Karoulla, founder of Brockley’s Rock, says the past few years have brought unprecedented cost pressures. “Since the Ukraine war, as we all know, prices have gone really high, and our gas and electricity have gone through the roof, about 300 percent more than we used to pay before. Obviously, that’s another huge challenge because at the time, everything’s gone up. Normally, we get one of the raw ingredients would go up a little bit, up and down, but on that particular year, everything’s gone up. We’ve never had anything like that before.” The fish itself has seen some of the steepest increases. The National Federation of Fish Friers says the total allowable catch for cod in the Barents Sea has fallen sharply, from around one million tonnes in 2019 to 285,000 tonnes this year. That quota system is designed to protect fish stocks, but with fewer fish available, prices have risen. The reduction follows scientific advice aimed at rebuilding depleted stocks, meaning supply is deliberately restricted to allow recovery, tightening availability across global markets. This article was provided by The Associated Press.