Chip shop owners in Nottinghamshire say they're up against it as prices continue to rise. Everything from the cost of packaging to peas and flour to fish has rocketed - and now a sunflower oil shortage is bumping up prices even more.
The family who run Oceans fish and chip shop in Carlton said costs have spiralled. Jack Jacovou, who has been in the industry for 54 years, said it's the worst prices he's ever known but they're trying to keep the takeaway affordable with a fish and chips special costing £4.40.
"We had to put prices up again on Sunday," said Mr Jacovou. "Before that it was £4.20. We normally put our prices up once a year - sometimes we don't even do that. We've put them up twice since November when the electricity bill doubled overnight.
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"It's knocked the enjoyment of running the business out of us because you're having to tell customers all the time that the prices are going up. You've got a choice, you either keep putting it up or you cut the portions down. We find people buy one portion of fish and chips and share it, especially the older people."
Mr Jacovou, who handed over the reins of the chippy in Carlton Hill to his son Simon two years ago, said: "Everything has doubled since November because of Covid, Brexit, the fuel rising. Paper has doubled, trays have doubled and they're phasing out polystyrene in favour of cardboard trays but the problem is they're twice the price of polystyrene. The vegetable oil we use has doubled in price.
"Fish has gone up. For cod you need to mortgage your house - it's astronomical because of the Russian/Ukrainian war. We only use fresh fish but the price has gone up 50 to 60 percent in the last five weeks. A lot of the frozen cod comes in from Russia but because of the sanctions they're not bringing it anymore so there is a shortage of cod. The people using frozen, because it's so expensive, have come into our market to buy the fresh fish so that's gone up.
"There is not one single bit of the industry where it hasn't gone up. Peas, batter, flour, curry, wages, everything. You're not only battling prices - you're battling the competition. It's mad as there are so many more takeaways out there now."
Despite the spike in prices, Mr Jacovou said it's not the worst period he's known. "Margaret Thatcher - that was the worst for us, because then inflation was a lot higher, prices were going up daily, and just before her we had all the power cuts and all the bins stacking up. One minute you were working, the next power was cut off," he said.
John Molnar, owner of the Cod's Scallops chain of fish and chip shops, has previously spoken about the spiralling costs. He said sunflower oil supplies are running low and as a result prices are being bumped up. He added: "A lot of sunflower oil was produced in Ukraine and the supply has been short.
"The price is really high. I've managed to secure enough for a few weeks. I was paying £32 and now it's over £40 per barrel. Rapeseed oil and beef dripping have also gone up in price and the supply is being rationed by some suppliers."
