Fish and chip shops in Barrow have had to raise their prices to contend with the cost of living. 

Chippies around the country are in crisis due to a global shortage of sunflower oil caused by conflict between Ukraine and Russia - with the two nations being the two biggest producers of the oil, growing around 75 per cent of the world's supply between them.

According to the National Federation of Fish Friers, up to a third of fish and chip shops may be forced out of business by the end of this year due to the increase of prices for oil.

Russia also produces 45 per cent of the world’s white fish, and therefore this is leading to more competition between other countries, contributing to increase of prices.

Eddie Maloney, from Andy's Fish and Chips on Walney, said: "Cod was £124 a box until three weeks ago. Now they are asking for £235 a box.

"I just don't see people paying £9 for cod and chips. The suppliers have told me that they are selling a third less cod because people aren't buying it.

"So I've removed cod from our menu." 

Andy's Fish and Chips uses fresh fish caught in Scotland so has not been directly hit by the sanctions based on frozen Russian imported fish which until this year made up 40 per cent of all fish in chippies. 

However, because the cost of frozen fish is now so expensive, many fish and chip shops have switched to fresh fish. This created a much more competitive market. 

It is not only the price of cod that Andy is worried about.

"Everybody needs more money. There is not anything I am buying that has not gone up in price," he said.

"The cheese has gone up from £8.50 to £13 a bag. For the pizzas the mozzarella has gone from £42 a box to £52 a box.

"Even the pizza boxes have gone up in price." 

Lucas Listowski, owner of Matties fish and chip shop, said: "Nobody is happy about it. It is very expensive compared to before."

Matties used to always buy their fish from Russia. However they have found a new market - Hull. 

"We never used fish caught in the UK because it was cheaper to import. It used to cost a lot less money," he said.

Lucas's main concern is not the price of white fish but the price of cooking oil.

He said cooking oil was 125 per cent more than 2021 because of the war in Ukraine.

The price of oil and gas has gone up over the year because of EU sanctions on Russian exports. This week, petrol jumped in price by two pence a litre. 

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