Cross-party action must come to support manufacturers
INDUSTRY body Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Scotland has urged for cross-party support across the manufacturing side of the industry amid rising costs.
As part of an election hustings hosted by FDF Scotland on 8 April, politicians from across the political spectrum were urged to support the food and drink industry as costs begin to shoot up.
The event included representatives from across different parties, with representatives consisting of:
• Dan Heap – Scottish Green Party
• Daniel Johnson MSP – Scottish Labour Party
• Euan Hyslop – Scottish National Party
• Kim Schmulian – Reform UK Scotland
• Miles Briggs MSP – Scottish Conservatives
• Wendy Chamberlain MP – Scottish Liberal Democrats
A key message to all the politicians who attended the hustings was the need for a stable and confident business environment for the food and drink industry. Discussion centred around how government can more effectively support businesses to grow and invest further in the UK.
FDF Scotland has argued that manufacturers in the industry are under “sustained pressure” caused by rising costs from across energy, packaging, ingredients and National Insurance contributions, compounded by recent disruption to global energy markets due to the US-Israeli war in Iran.
As an energy-intensive sector, FDF Scotland has said the food and drinks sector is now particularly exposed with no signs of this letting up any time soon. In fact, the FDF has now forecasted that food inflation could reach at least 9% by the end of 2026, representing a three-fold increase from its previous forecasted figure.
David Thomson, chief executive officer at FDF Scotland, said: “Food and drink manufacturing is one of Scotland’s most important industries, but it is also one of the most exposed to rising energy costs, global supply chain disruption and policy uncertainty.
“The hustings highlighted a shared understanding across parties of the pressures businesses are facing. The next Scottish Government and parliament must now work with industry to deliver practical solutions that give manufacturers the confidence to invest, innovate and develop the skilled workforce they need, while supporting the transition to net zero.”
