LOOKS LIKE WE'VE HAD OUR CHIPS..

Fish suppers facing total wipeout

- SEAN MURPHY

CHIP shops battered by a "perfect storm" of Covid-19, inflation, and the war in Ukraine could suffer in a "tidal wave of closures", industry experts fear.

They have warned that soaring costs caused by shortages of fish, potatoes, cooking oil, and flour are causing the unprecedented crisis for Ireland's 450 chippers.

Figures in the industry warned of many in the trade shutting shop as their overheads spiral and fish prices double.

They said that Russia's war has worsened global shortages of key ingredients like sunflower oil that were already experiencing big difficulties amid the pandemic.