Time for a
moratorium? After a tough two years for the sector, and with upcoming legislation to be taken on board - calorie labelling, HFSS, and environmental taxes – is it time for a moratorium asks BSA director, Jim Winship. A RANGE OF CHALLENGES At the best of times, it must be difficult being a politician trying to run a country while keeping voters happy and meeting manifesto commitments, particularly at times like these where there seems to be a new crisis at every turn. Governments can become blinded by the complexities of keeping this balance to the extent that they can seem remote and to be struggling to see the wood from the trees. Yet at times like these it is not always possible to stick to the policy commitments made at a time when things were very different. Never before have businesses faced such a range of challenges than they do at present, so much so that many are struggling. From Covid
and supply chain problems to staff and energy shortages… The list goes on with no clear end in sight. BAD TIMING On top of this, new legislation is piling additional pressure and costs onto hospitality and food businesses, from allergen and calorie labelling laws to restrictions on the advertising and promotion of foods high in salt fat and sugar and the introduction of new packaging taxes. While there may be arguments to justify many of these, the timing could not be worse, which is why it is time for a moratorium. While delaying some of this legislation may not be popular with some politicians, the priority has to be to keep businesses alive
and functioning as they are the lifeblood of our economy, providing employment and income through taxes that allow the country and government to function. Furthermore, a moratorium on new legislation would not cost the Treasury anything – it would just put back a few things that we have all managed to live with to date. Just as it will take time for businesses to get back on their feet, so it will take time for some of the major issues arising out of the Ukraine war to be resolved – not least the energy and world crop shortages that have yet to have their full impact. A two-year moratorium would allow us all to regroup and get our businesses back on firm ground. www.sandwich.org.uk I 29
