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Amid shortages of some items, food inflation in the UK hit a record high during November.
According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), the country is heading for a “dark” winter as prices continue to rise – especially meatEggs and dairy.
Helen Dickison, chief executive of the BRC, warned that “Christmas cheer will be reduced this year” – although that price rise could start to moderate in 2023.
In addition to inflation, shortages and stretched supply chains are also showing up on supermarket shelves with empty spaces where staples would normally be found.
Why is there an egg shortage in the UK and how will it affect me?
Some supermarkets in the UK have reported shortages in egg supplies over the past month. The shortage has put a limit on the number of boxes customers can buy Major chains such as TescoAsda and Lidl.
According to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the egg market has been affected. Rising cost of energy And animal feeding — partly due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — also broke out Avian influenza.
“We understand the difficulties that rising costs for feed and energy over the last year, together with outbreaks of bird flu, are causing farmers and are working with the industry to monitor the egg market,” a Defra spokesman said. .
A complex combination of factors contributing to pressure on the egg market means it is unclear when the shortage is likely to end.
But Defra says the UK’s food supply chain is “resilient”.
“There are 38 million laying hens across the country and we do not expect any significant impact on overall supply,” the spokesperson added.
Will there be other food shortages?
Adding to the factors leading to egg shortages, bird flu is also causing chaos for poultry supplies.
Richard Griffiths, chief executive of the British Poultry Council, warned this week that consumers should expect a shortage of British free-range turkeys this year. He told the government’s environment, food and rural affairs committee that 1 million of the normal 8.5-9 million turkeys produced in the UK. Killed or died of bird flu.
Rising energy prices – coupled with a shortage of people to pick crops – are also affecting fruit and vegetable growers.
Production costs for Farmers According to a report by agricultural consultant Promer International, the increase has increased by 27 percent in the last 12 months. Foods like tomatoes, broccoli, apples and root vegetables are the most affected.
The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) warns it could pose a serious threat to the UK’s fruit and vegetable industry.
“The viability of fruit and vegetable production is under the greatest stress I have ever seen,” said NFU Horticulture and Potato Board Chair Martin Emmett.
Rapidly rising costs – particularly for energy – coupled with a shortage of reliable workers have put many businesses “on a knife’s edge”, he added.
“Growers are doing everything they can to mitigate the impacts, but they can’t do it alone. If these pressures continue, it will simply be unsustainable for some businesses to continue as they are.”
Where are food prices rising in the UK?
Some prices food The items have increased over the last year, especially in the UK.
In July, Arla Foods, the UK’s biggest producer of milk and butter, warned that the country was on the brink of shortages. A great shortage of workers meant that farmers had to cut back on production.
Although the shortage has not yet filled supermarket shelves, milk and butter prices have increased significantly.
There has also been talk of a “potato crisis” as the crop suffers from the effects of climate change.
“We expect a much warmer and drier summer,” Professor Leslie Torrance of the James Hutton Institute (JHI) said earlier this year. JHI is researching ways to make this staple crop more resistant to rising temperatures.
“There will be as many as 60 more plant-heat stress days by 2030 – that’s just eight years away,” Torrance added.
Potato prices have increased by about 20 percent and may double this winter.
overall, Climate change and fossil fuel prices can cause food inflation According to a report by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, it will be around 11 percent in 2022.
That would mean the average household monthly shopping bill would rise by £33.90 (€39.47) – almost £400 (€465.54) a year.
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