All Party Parliamentary group (APPG) is calling for food and drink businesses to provide information on how escalating energy costs are impacting the sector.
Food minister Mark Spencer is to meet MPs serving on the APPG this month to discuss how the government can help the food and drink sector through the energy crisis.
Mr Spencer, who is MP for Sherwood in Nottinghamshire, will attend the meeting of the food and drink supply chain all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on 18 January, which will explore the impact the current energy crisis is having on the food and drink supply chain, how these impact on consumers and businesses throughout the UK and what proposals the government has support the sector when current six-month support package expires.
Fellow MP Sharon Hodgson, who is interim chair of the group, said:
“Spiralling energy prices are having a major impact on food and drink businesses, intensifying the cost of doing business and driving food price inflation to worrying levels.
“This is why we have invited the food minister Mark Spencer to give evidence to the APPG so he can outline the government’s plan to support this vital sector after the initial scheme ends in March, and to set out how we can build a stronger, more resilient supply chain in the future.”
The APPG has said previously that it is worried that when the current measures of energy support end in March it could result in redundancies, business closures and a “sharp decline in investment”.
British Beer and Pub Association chief executive Emma McClarkin previously told the group “energy used to be 5% of overheads in the hospitality businesses by July it was 10% and by the end of the year (2022) it is forecast to be 15%. You will need to see the extension of the energy support beyond 6 months”
