A dry summer has shrunk the British potato crop and raised a daunting prospect for Britons: a shortage of chips. Fish and chip shops say they will have to reduce portion sizes and raise prices for the national dish.
Potato prices have already doubled this year and could go even higher, said the National Federation of Fish Friers, which speaks for the country’s 10,500 chip shops. Andrew Crook, the NFFF president, said: “We have to cover our costs. Prices will go up and many will reduce the size of a portion. A lot of small shops will probably sell up.”
A 25kg sack of potatoes, enough for about 40 portions of chips, costs £12, up from £6 last year, and Mr Crook forecasts it will soon be £20. Fish and chips is thought to be the UK’s most popular takeaway choice by volume, with 380 million portions served a year, according to the NFFF.
