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A fish and chip shop owner in Pembrokeshire is introducing self-service tills in response to customers’ often abrupt questioning about rising prices. Rhys McLoughlin, co-owner of Môr Ffres in Dinas Cross, expressed concerns over the growing number of price-related inquiries, highlighting that many customers do not grasp the continuous increase in supply costs. He explained, “We have no control over that, so either we work [for] no money, or we follow the price increase and, unfortunately, we have to pass it on.”
According to recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the average cost of takeaway fish and chips climbed to £11.17 in March, up from £6.48 in 2019. The National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) noted that these price hikes have impacted customer visits and overall footfall at most chip shops. McLoughlin warned that cod prices might potentially double by September, making it impossible to continue offering the classic cod and chips at reasonable prices. He also mentioned rising costs in wages, oil, and fuel, with additional concerns about the possible increase in potato prices due to diesel price hikes. “If these prices continue to go up, who’s going to buy fish and chips for £21? Who can afford that?” he asked.
In order to ease pressure on staff and manage the busy summer crowds, McLoughlin plans to install digital kiosks that allow customers to place and pay for orders themselves. He described how his young employees, often working their first jobs after school, face uncomfortable and sometimes abrupt questioning about prices in front of other customers. “It’s no fun for a boy or girl to come to work to be asked, not abused, but asked pretty abrupt questions on the spot with 20 people in the chip shop,” he said, adding that a few staff members have left due to this strain.
Elsewhere, the challenges of maintaining affordable fish and chips are echoed by other business owners. Sy Crockford from Marina Fish & Chips in Saundersfoot observed a 50% rise in cod prices, calling the fish “a luxury not a necessity.” He emphasized the importance of keeping the traditional seaside meal affordable, saying, “One thing we don’t want to do is out-price fish and chips. It’s a nostalgia, it’s a romance, to come to the beach and have fish and chips, we definitely don’t want to outprice.” Meanwhile, in rural Pembrokeshire, Sioned Phillips of Cegin-24 in Crymych revealed how cod box prices jumped from £36 to as high as £60, forcing her to raise her cod portion prices from £6.95 to £9. Despite suggestions to try cheaper fish alternatives, customers prefer cod. “They’ll order two cods and one chips to share, I think that’s their way of trying to save their money,” she noted. The NFFF attributed cod price increases primarily to a steep reduction in cod quotas in the Barents Sea and sanctions impacting Russian fish supplies. Andrew Crook, NFFF president, recommended that shops monitor portion sizes and consider alternative fish species to cope with the changing market
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