The average price of fish and chips has hit close to £10 as global events continue to weigh heavy on one of the nation’s favourite dishes.
New figures reported in the BBC show the deep-fried delicacy has been subjected to major inflationary pressures over the past five years, with prices rising by 50 per cent to £9.88 in July.
That means a family of four won’t get much change out of a £50 note once they’ve forked out for their tea and added some mushy peas and cans of pop.
“I’ve never known an onslaught of pressures in terms of costs going up,” said Jon Long, of Long John’s Fish and Chips in Dorset.
Jon is the third generation of his family in the trade and his daughter Emma has recently taken the helm of the business.
He added: “I’d like to think we’ll see a fifth generation but I’m not sure.”
The average fish and chip price was £6.48 in July 2019, but a “perfect storm” of costs, including soaring energy bills, tariffs on seafood imports and extreme weather hammering potato harvests, has led to prices going up.
Sanctions on Russian seafood due to the invasion of Ukraine are also to blame.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows fish and chips isn’t the only take-away to be battered by high costs, but it has been the worst hit.
The average price for a portion of fish and chips rose more than 50 per cent in the five years to July – while the cost of a kebab went up 44 per cent and pizza 30 per cent.
An Indian main course and a Chinese main course are both up 29 per cent.