FOOD and Drink Federation Scotland has responded to the latest ONS inflation figures, which fell to 10.1% in the year to March from 10.4% in February.
Chief Executive Officer David Thomson said:
“Today’s food and drink inflation figures come as a disappointment to households up and down the country as the cost of the weekly shop continues to rise.
“Food and drink price inflation remains stubbornly high because it takes some months for the rising prices that manufacturers pay to produce food and drink to filter through into the prices that shoppers pay on high streets and in supermarkets. And, while we have seen some ingredient and production costs start to come down from the exceptional peaks of recent months, those declines have not been consistent across the board. Meanwhile, many of the underlying drivers of inflation are still in play – with, for example, energy costs still double what they were in 2019 and rising labour costs.
“Food and drink manufacturers know we have a responsibility to keep the price of everyday products affordable, and ONS data shows that over 80% are absorbing a proportion of rising input costs in order to shield shoppers from the full price rise. This is having an impact on business margins and the resilience of our sector. A drop in investment is flowing from this and points to a worrying economic trend.
“A competitive food and drink sector can help drive down inflation and power our economic recovery. An important part of that will be a strengthened relationship between the Scottish Government and our vital food and drink industry. We look forward to meeting with the Scottish Government to discuss how we can work together to ensure our industry plays an important part in Scotland’s transition to a Wellbeing Economy.”
