VOA新闻杂志--不断上涨的价格威胁着传统的英国食品炸鱼薯条

Rising Prices Threaten Fish and Chips, a Traditional British Food

Fish and chips have been popular among Britons since the food was invented some 160 years ago.

Charles Dickens wrote about the dish in his well-known story of Oliver Twist. Unlike other common food, it was not rationed² during the world wars.

But a third of fish and chip shops are at risk of going out of business this year due to price pressures, says Company Debt, a business advisory³ company.

Price increases and inflation

In just a year, the prices for fish, like cod⁴ and haddock, are up 75 percent. Sunflower oil used for cooking is up 60 percent and even flour is up 40 percent.

Overall, inflation in Britain reached a 40-year high of 9 percent in April, the highest among G7 countries. And it is expected to rise even higher.

At west London's Hooked Fish and Chips, Bally Singh is struggling to keep up sales for the traditional British dish. Fish and chips in Singh's shop now cost almost 10 pounds, compared to around 8 pounds a year ago. And Singh said if he passed on all the higher costs, the price would be closer to 11 pounds.

"We're finding it a struggle to keep our prices reasonable and competitive compared to other fast foods that are in the area, and we've actually seen a decline in fish sales and customers walking through the door," he said.

All the difficulties

Some of the recent difficulties for fish and chip shops started with Britain's withdrawal⁵ from the European Union (EU). UK Fisheries, a fishing company, said in 2022, Britain had to reduce its Arctic cod catch to around 40 percent of what it was before leaving the EU.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has driven up fuel and electricity prices, further increasing the cost of catching⁶, and frying, fish. The war has sent cooking oil, fertilizer and flour prices higher, too.

Cod and haddock are sourced in the Barents Sea, north of Norway and Russia. The war has increased uncertainty⁷ over those supplies.

In March, the British government listed Russian white fish as among goods to be hit with a 35 percent tax in response to the invasion of Ukraine. It has paused the move, for now, while the effects are investigated.

Sunflower oil is the main agricultural product that Britain imports from Ukraine. The government says it is working to replace it with other vegetable oils such as rapeseed.

A spokesperson for Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs said it was "working closely with industry, including the National Federation⁸ of Fish Friers (NFFF), to mitigate⁹ the challenges that they are facing." Mitigate means to make something less harmful or severe.

However, the federation said fish and chip shops are facing their biggest crisis ever. "I'm getting daily phone calls from people that are worried that they're going to go out of business," NFFF President Andrew Crook¹⁰ told Reuters.

Malcolm Petherick is 73 years old. He worried changes he has seen over his lifetime might result in Britain losing a part of its cultural history.

"When I was growing up, it was a poor man's meal," he said about fish and chips. He added that he just bought two orders of fish and chips for 23 pounds.

"What family can afford that?" he asked.

Words in This Story

dish – n. food that is prepared in a particular way

ration¹ – v. to control the amount of (something, such as gasoline or food) that people are allowed to have especially when there is not enough of it

customer –n. someone who buys goods or services from a business

fertilizer -- n. a substance (such as manure¹¹ or a special chemical) that is added to soil to help the growth of plants

response – n. something that is done as a reaction to something else

afford – v. to be able to pay for (something)

1 ration   

n.定量(pl.)给养，口粮；vt.定量供应

参考例句：

• The country cut the bread ration last year.那个国家去年削减面包配给量。
• We have to ration the water.我们必须限量用水。

2 rationed   

限量供应，配给供应( ration的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• We were rationed to two eggs a day. 每天配给我们两个鸡蛋。
• The army is well rationed. 部队给养良好。

3 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

4 cod   

n.鳕鱼；v.愚弄；哄骗

参考例句：

• They salt down cod for winter use.他们腌鳕鱼留着冬天吃。
• Cod are found in the North Atlantic and the North Sea.北大西洋和北海有鳕鱼。

5 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

6 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

7 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

8 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

9 mitigate   

vt.（使）减轻，（使）缓和

参考例句：

• The government is trying to mitigate the effects of inflation.政府正试图缓和通货膨胀的影响。
• Governments should endeavour to mitigate distress.政府应努力缓解贫困问题。

10 crook   

v.使弯曲；n.小偷，骗子，贼；弯曲(处)

参考例句：

• He demanded an apology from me for calling him a crook.我骂他骗子，他要我向他认错。
• She was cradling a small parcel in the crook of her elbow.她用手臂挎着一个小包裹。

11 manure   

n.粪，肥，肥粒；vt.施肥

参考例句：

• The farmers were distributing manure over the field.农民们正在田间施肥。
• The farmers used manure to keep up the fertility of their land.农夫们用粪保持其土质的肥沃。