For immediate release:
BREXIT FOOD PRICE RISE WORRYING SCOTS CONSUMERS
SNP MSP Clare Haughey has called on the UK government to end their opposition to single market membership and back remaining in the world’s biggest marketplace after a new survey revealed that 77% of people in Scotland were concerned about rising food prices.
The Food Standards Scotland survey showed a 7% growth in the number of people worried about the cost of food rising since the question was first asked in December 2015. Nearly two-thirds of people thought prices would rise as a result of Brexit, while 36% were concerned about food availability after the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
The potential of tariffs on food imports after leaving the single market and customs union is set to cause a hike in the price of food – with the falling value of Sterling already causing prices to rise as the cost of imports increase.
Commenting, Rutherglen MSP Clare Haughey said:
“This is yet another survey which makes perfectly clear why we must stay in the EU single market. Leaving it, as the Tories are currently planning, will only feed the flames of uncertainty currently overwhelming the UK economy.
“Remaining in the single market is of utmost importance to Scotland as it is made up of almost 500 million consumers, it is the destination for 42 per cent of our exports, and it contributed £11.6 billion to our economy in 2014.
“Enough is enough. It is time for the UK government to commit to single market membership.”
ENDS
Notes:
“…if the UK did not strike a free trade deal with the EU, food prices would be likely to rise significantly.” https://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/9562
Date published: 8th November 2017
Clare Haughey MSP 