MP hears meat producer’s warnings of soaring costs

An international producer of meat products and plant-based alternatives, Vion, has taken its concerns directly to Westminster, meeting with Sittingbourne MP Kevin McKenna to highlight the significant challenges facing the UK food industry.

Nick Behari, Vion’s country manager for UK and Ireland, which has its UK HQ at the Eurolink Business Park in Sittingbourne, met with Mr McKenna alongside Rod Addy, director general of the Provision Trade Federation (PTF). The PTF represents members who account for 20% of UK household food expenditure and support approximately 130,000 jobs nationwide.

The central message delivered to the MP focused on the dramatic escalation of operational expenses that are pressuring businesses to increase consumer prices.

“We were keen to stress that businesses such as Nick’s have seen costs for energy, wages, national insurance and packaging disposal soar in the past two to three years,” said Rod Addy. “They have also been contending with more expensive bills for importing. Even strong businesses are feeling the pinch and are struggling to avoid passing those costs on in the form of higher food prices in shops and restaurants.”

The Federation stressed that the food industry, which operates on relatively low margins, has been hit particularly hard, urging the Chancellor to take these factors into account ahead of the budget.

The meeting also addressed the essential balance between affordability, health, and national food security.

“We have a responsibility to keep healthy food affordable and cut our unnecessary costs. This meeting was a good way to share our thoughts and to make sure this is not overlooked by policy makers,” said Nick Behari from the Vion Food Group.

Discussions covered the essential role of high-quality meat consumption in providing a full profile of amino acids, iron, selenium, B Vitamins, and zinc. Given Mr McKenna’s key roles on both health and sustainable resources cross-party parliamentary groups, the delegation sought to raise the views and concerns of members directly.

The PTF also raised the potential unintended consequences of the Government’s changes to the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) concerning dairy products, arguing against penalising essential nutrient-containing items such as milk drinks. Finally, the meeting reinforced the vital importance of safeguarding food resilience and food security, underlining the essential role importers play in maintaining a robust and diverse national food supply.