A local business owner who runs four pizzerias in Co Tyrone has said he now has to operate on a reduced menu as the price of some food items have tripled in recent months.
Damien Corrigan, who owns the Pizzarack takeaways in Ardboe, Cookstown, Coalisland and Pomeroy, says popular menu items such as potato wedges, twister fries and several pizza toppings will have to be scrapped as they have become too expensive to sell.
The cost of living crisis has impacted on families and businesses across the whole of Northern Ireland, and Damien says food costs are following the likes of energy and fuel costs in seeing sharp rises.
READ MORE: Cost of living: Co Tyrone mum on her heartbreak as she can’t afford heating for daughter
“Everything has trebled in price for us. Electricity is one thing but food costs are another thing,” Damien told Belfast Live.
“Some products that were costing me £10 two years ago are now up to over £30 now.
“The percentages don’t make sense for me to sell them now because I would have to pass that on to the customer and it wouldn’t be affordable.
“I know it's not affordable and I wouldn’t go to buy a portion of potato wedges at £6 myself so I don’t want to ask my customers to do that.
“Electricity costs are worrying but for us the main issue is that suppliers are ringing us every week saying everything is getting dearer.
“I don’t know whether these manufacturers are being monitored or are they just jumping on the bandwagon and just charging these extortionate prices because everything else is extortionate?
“It’s really worrying and now we have to operate with a reduced menu because it doesn’t make sense for us to buy it any more.”
Damien says the suppliers are putting the rising prices down to distribution costs and the price of energy, and he has been warned that there are further increases coming in the weeks ahead.
Dozens of takeaways and restaurants have closed across Northern Ireland this year, with many citing rising costs as key factors in the decision, and Damien says that number will continue to rise in the months ahead.
“Everything is just a battle at the minute. We have been told from the 1st of October the price of food will be going up even further.
“There are serious increases coming from that date according to one of my suppliers, it’s really scary.
“It seems to me that the bigger companies are putting the smaller ones under pressure.
“I don’t know how these businesses will be able to survive. I feel lucky that I do have the four shops so some weeks one isn’t as busy but the other one is and that saves me a bit.
“Businesses closing is not good for anyone. For us to be in business we need people to have money in their pockets and most people just don’t have it any more.”
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