War in the Middle East: why the conflict threatens the traditional British fish and chips

There are around 10,500 Fish and Chips restaurants in the UK, more than the nine most popular restaurant chains like KFC or McDonald’s combined.

• The Easter period is a crucial moment for the players in this industry.
• However, with the war in the Middle East, the bill for this fish-based dish is starting to rise.

The war in the Middle East continues to impact the global economy. With rising fuel prices, it’s now the turn of food to bear the brunt of the conflict. Particularly fish and chips, a typically British dish especially popular during Easter, is becoming more expensive.

“Given the price of fuel, we fear that people will start consuming less fish and chips and going out to eat less often,” said Captain Peter Bruce to AFP. Before the war, a month ago, he used to spend 5,000 pounds on diesel to bring back haddock and cod from a mission in the North Sea, used to prepare fish and chips. “It cost us 10,000 pounds on our last trip,” he explains, claiming to have already started slowing down his ship to try to save fuel. He assures that the annual additional cost could exceed 100,000 pounds, equivalent to 114,000 euros.

The fear of an increase in potato prices

A popular dish since the 1860s, once served in newspaper, fish and chips consists of a fillet of white fish fried in batter served with fries, sometimes accompanied by mushy peas and tartare sauce. According to data from the public body Seafish dating back to 2024, there are around 10,500 Fish and Chips restaurants in the UK, more than the nine most popular restaurant chains including KFC, McDonald’s, and Pizza Hut, the organization specifies.

The difficulties are not only caused by the war in the Middle East entering its second month and driving up oil prices, much like gasoline and diesel which saw an unprecedented increase in March in the UK, according to data from the Royal Automobile Club (RAC). Stricter fishing regulations to preserve species, as well as the aftermath of the war in Ukraine – Russia was notably supplying 30 to 40% of the fish in the country – have previously weakened it.

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The rise in fertilizer prices, as well as energy prices, also raises concerns about an increase in potato prices. Andrew Crook, a restaurant owner in Lancashire offering his fish and chips for 11.45 pounds (approximately 13 euros), claims that restaurateurs are looking for several ways to avoid raising prices, such as replacing traditional fish with cheaper options, like North American cod or South African hake, or reducing portions.