Overview
- A Lincolnshire farmer says 600 tonnes of potatoes worth about £120,000 remain unsold after long‑running contracts were not renewed by major buyers.
- Andrew Crook, who runs a Chorley chippy and heads the National Federation of Fish Friers, reports chip sales at his counter are down a third compared with pre‑pandemic levels.
- Shop owners and growers cite GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs, which curb appetite and reduce cravings, as one factor behind smaller portions and shared bags of chips.
- Industry figures warn potatoes left in storage can become worthless by June or July and say weak returns could lead farmers to plant fewer crops, risking tighter supply by 2027.
- Official data show fish‑and‑chips sales fell 21% in 2024, the average portion costs £11.02 in 2026, and trade bodies warn many of the UK’s roughly 10,000 shops could shut without relief.