The Worst of Britain’s Food Cost Crisis Is Yet to Come

Former head of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Ian Wright has joined farming and supermarket unions in branding the government “unprepared” for a further soar in food prices and food shortages.

Wright said that the continued twin impact of rising inflation and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will cause “a bigger crisis” than that affecting energy prices. “I don’t think the government has fully grasped the implications of all this. Things could get quite scary, with significant price rises and in terms of food poverty,” he said.

Other food organisations that have spent the last three years warning of accelerated food poverty owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and government policy on Universal Credit are similarly concerned. Both the National Farmers Union (NFU) and FareShare, a food redistribution charity, said that government inaction — including blocking the emergency appointment of a Minister of Food Poverty — could have dire consequences. With food prices in supermarkets and wholesale costs for restaurants already soaring, the worst of the crisis looks like it is yet to come.

A former institution gets a new lease of life, literally

A property agency, Compton, is attaching itself to a new restaurant (also called Compton) in the former Modern Pantry building.

As prices rise, menus get bigger

Casual dining chains are struggling with the need to provide enough viable options for newly cautious consumers.

And in review...

Jimi Famurewa is fond of Facing Heaven, with a couple of caveats; Jay Rayner is satisfied with bistro classics at Les Garćons 2; and Grace Dent finds something fishy at Goddard and Gibbs.