The cost of living increasing, ingredient prices rising and a lack of customers is leaving local fish and chip shops owners worried for the future.
With prices not looking to decrease anytime soon, takeaways and fish and chip shops are struggling to stay afloat all while trying to battle with food shortage challenges.
The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, among other factors including Brexit have had a knock-on effect on supply with white fish and sunflower oil – two key ingredients for chippies – being severely impacted in the UK.
According to the National Federation of Fish Friers, a total of 62% of fish sold in fish and chip shops is cod and 25% is haddock.
Some local chip shop owners have been forced to increase their menu prices much more steeply than normal.
No customers
Lindsay Forbes, 47, owner of The Popular Restaurant on St Andrews Street in Dundee has seen a reduction in the amount of customers visiting his establishment throughout the past three weeks.
“I have been open since 11:30am today and I’ve only had one customer,” he said.
Trying to adapt his operating hours to suit locals, Lindsay says opening during the day may not be an option for him in the future.
“I am going to start opening from 4-9pm on a Thursday and Friday and not open during the day.
“But I think when people have to reduce their spending the first thing they do is stop eating out.”
The cost for ingredients have doubled and in some cases trebled, resulting in The Popular being forced to increase its prices.
Lindsay added: “I have tried to swallow the increasing cost for a long time, but I am not getting as many customers so I’ve had to put my prices up.
“I normally increase it by 5p, but I have had to increase it to 60p which I have never done before and it is still not enough.”
Worse than the pandemic
Lina Molinaro, the 37-year-old owner of Frankie’s Fish Shack on Balfield Road, Dundee tells a similar story of her experiences thus far.
She said: “Customers that would normally come in twice a week are only coming in once.
“Everything has increased by 35-40% and it is the biggest challenge we have ever had to face.
“And I don’t think the time during the pandemic even has a look in.”
Lina has also seen the war in Ukraine affect availability of products and believes the lack of supply will ultimately result in many chippies having to close.
She said: “The war is having a massive impact and it is driving the prices of the raw materials through the roof.
“There is the shortage of fish and I think some shops will have to close, which will have a huge effect on employment here also.”
With the constant changes some fish shops are changing their prices weekly. Lina says she is trying to swallowing the cost as much as she can to save her customers money.
Lina explains: “I think to make a decent living the cost of a fish supper today should be around £12 and we are under £9.
“There is so much deprivation in Dundee so we have to swallow that cost. It will definitely have an impact on fast food and more so fish and chips.”
Survival mode
For Franc Vella, 53, he has never seen rises to this extent since his gran took over The Victor Fish Bar on Blackness Road, Dundee in the 50s.
“This is the worst we have ever seen it. I don’t remember things like this happening years ago,” he recalled.
“There are always rises in fish and chip shops, but not to this extent.
“We are in survival mode at the moment as we don’t know what will happen in the future.”
Franc outlines that every year around April businesses will adapt and increase their costs by around 5%. This year, however, he says some have increased by 60-70%.
He used to purchase six bags of cheese for £48. Now, that cost sits at £77. Chicken pieces have also increased by 50%.
“A fish supper a year ago was £7.75. Since that time we have increased it twice and today our fish supper is £8.90,” he added.
To keep costs down he has been forced to increase his own working hours and is unable to take on more staff due to the uncertainty around the industry.
He will arrive early to prep the food and will lock up or clean up most evenings to ensure staff costs are a minimum, despite already being understaffed.
If price rises continue, Frances fears the fish supper might be something people can no longer afford to buy.
Conversation