Restaurants and cafes in the UK are voicing disappointment with recent government measures to remove import tariffs on over 100 items, including garlic, gherkins, and plant-based milk. Business owners argue that these changes offer minimal impact and fail to address the more pressing financial challenges facing the hospitality sector.
Morgan Austin, operations manager for Burgerism, a six-location burger chain, acknowledged the removal of tariffs on gherkins as a positive development. "Really appreciate the gherkins - that is fantastic for us," she said. However, Austin indicated that more substantial support, such as a value-added tax (VAT) reduction, would have been more beneficial. She highlighted that recent increases in the minimum wage and employer National Insurance Contributions have cost Burgerism approximately £150,000 annually, a significant sum for a business that would otherwise fund a new location and create jobs.
Hassan Zahid, proprietor of Fuego 1987, an American-Mexican fusion street food business, described the tariff changes as having a "really minor" effect. He suggested that reducing tariffs on primary ingredients like meat and chicken would have provided more meaningful relief than cuts on garlic. "It would have helped if they reduced tariffs on raw products such as meat or chicken - the items we use as a bulk amount," Zahid stated.
Gavin Williams, co-owner of Mattina coffee shop in Greater Manchester, criticized the measures as a superficial effort with little practical benefit. "I think it's a classic Andy Burnham style - we're going to do loads to help you out, but actually, when you look at the fine detail, the impact is nothing," he commented. Williams pointed out that his business, which uses significant amounts of plant-based milk, would not see any advantage from the tariff changes because its suppliers are UK-based and thus already exempt from import duties. "Our almond milk comes from Southport... Our oat milk comes from Milton Keynes," he explained, emphasizing that the tariffs on imported goods do not affect domestically sourced raw ingredients. He echoed the sentiment that a VAT reduction would offer more significant assistance to independent hospitality businesses. "You can't keep increasing the minimum wage, increasing National Insurance Contributions, increasing pension contributions, increasing business rates, increasing energy, increasing everything, and not give us something back," Williams added, describing the increasing difficulty of maintaining operations.