HC Deb 05 December 1977 vol 940 c1001
16. Mr. Edwin Wainwright

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will give the percentage price increase per year for frozen chips, the year 1974 being based at 100, together with the corresponding rates for the percentage increase of the price of potatoes.

Mr. Maclennan

The information is not available in the precise form requested, but I will circulate in the Official Report the data that are to hand.

Mr. Wainwright

I thank my right hon. Friend for passing on the Question. My hon. Friend will recall that the Secretary of State said on 25th July this year that the new Price Commission Act would empower him to deal with the rising prices of potatoes and, of course, of frozen chips. Is he not aware that the profit margin is still 60 per cent. or more, that the Press and the public know that great profits are being made out of frozen chips, that his Department has done nothing since 25th July, and that if he wants to take more meaningful action he must take further steps to reduce the price of frozen chips to the retailer?

Mr. Maclennan

There has in fact been a substantial reduction—about 20 per cent.—in the average price of frozen chips between the second and third quarters of this year. The processors,

2nd quarter 3rd quarter
1974 1975 1976 1977 1977
Frozen chips and other convenience potato products* 100 128 224 244 203
Potatoes, old white† (Retail price) … 100 182 421 382 168

* Source: National Food Survey. No separate information is available for frozen potato chips alone.

† Source: RPI.