Election / SNP candidate says action to reduce food prices ‘must never come at expense’ of producers
The party’s proposal to cap the cost of some items in large supermarkets has drawn concern from farming reprensentatives
THE SNP’s Shetland candidate Hannah Mary Goodlad says action to reduce food prices “must never come at the expense of those who grow, rear and produce our food”.
It comes amid concern over the party’s proposed policy to introduce a supermarket price cap on some essential items.
Farmers’ union NFU Scotland has written to first minister and SNP leader John Swinney to express its concern that there could be negative consequences for food producers.
The Shetland Livestock Marketing Group has similarly spoken out in concern – as have opposing political parties, with Lib Dem MP Alistair Carmichael saying it risks undermining farm and croft profitability.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton also told Shetland News that there risks being a negative impact on rural shops.
Goodlad said the government would not allow supermarkets to “squeeze producers or pass costs unfairly down the supply chain”.
“I know Shetland crofters and food producers are the backbone of our rural economy and already face intense pressure from rising fuel, feed, fertiliser and electricity costs,” she said.
“Let me be absolutely clear: any action to reduce food prices must never come at the expense of those who grow, rear and produce our food.”
The SNP’s manifesto said the price cap would be a “public health intervention” on 20 to 50 essential food items at large supermarkets, such as bread, milk and eggs.
It added that the system would require large supermarkets to make one example line of the listed essential items available at the capped price. Not every variation of that food type would required to be sold at the capped price.
Goodlad said the proposal will include “stronger transparency, protection for existing contracts, and independent oversight through the Groceries Code Adjudicator”.
The manifesto says there will be a “robust support framework” designed to shield Scottish producers with support mechanisms and monitoring “to ensure this will not be allowed to impact on farmers and food producers”.
Goodlad added that the SNP is “continuing to support primary food production with more than £660 million of direct support, while pressing for action to cut the energy costs hitting rural businesses hardest”.
“My message to Shetland food producers is simple: we value you, we need you, and we will stand alongside you,” she said.
Meanwhile as chair of the House of Commons’ environment, food and rural affairs (EFRA) select committee, Northern Isles MP Carmichael took evidence last week from a range of experts, regulators and industry voices, in which the proposed price cap was “heavily criticised”.
Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, told the committee that the price cap idea is an “unsustainable model” and argued that it is “totally unnecessary” as competition “works really effectively” when it comes to prices for customers.
Carmichael meanwhile said: “Food price inflation is a real problem – just not one that has an easy answer.
“What could perhaps make a difference, as was set out in evidence to the EFRA committee last week, would be government intervention to help farmers meet their rising input costs like fuel and fertiliser, so that we tackle food price inflation at the source of the problem.
“The cost of this would be relatively modest and would not come with any of the unintended consequences of a price cap. It is not, of course, as flashy or as useful for those who want to pick political fights with the UK government – which is probably why the SNP are not interested in that solution.”
The full list of confirmed Shetland candidates for the election on 7 May, in alphabetical order, are as follows: Alex Armitage (Greens), Douglas Barnett (Conservatives), Vic Currie (Reform UK), John Erskine (Labour), Hannah Mary Goodlad (SNP), Emma Macdonald (Liberal Democrats), Brian Nugent (Alliance to Liberate Scotland), Peter Tait (independent).
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