Food and drink wholesalers have laid out a five-point manifesto for the incoming prime minister, which is intended to support food distribution throughout the UK and boost the wider economy.

The actions include an immediate cut in fuel duty and a return to the 12.5% VAT rate for hospitality businesses.

In a letter to candidates Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, the FWD said that its members have been disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, labour shortages and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which have resulted in huge increases in the costs of doing business.

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They are asking the next PM to adopt five actions to protect food prices and availability:

• Cut fuel duty by 15p per litre
• Scrap or delay forthcoming policies which would drive up food prices
• Allocate more funding towards public sector food budgets
• Use new border controls to provide sufficient labour for food production and distribution
• Return to the 12.5% VAT rate for hospitality

FWD chief executive James Bielby said: “Ensuring a robust, safe, varied and competitive food distribution network has to be among the new PM’s first priorities.”

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“Costs are going to continue rising, and be passed on to the public, unless the government intervenes immediately. Our manifesto proposes several actions that would limit those rises, and keep prices affordable in shops, restaurants and public sector contracts.”

The letter has also been sent to all Conservative MPs with a request that they forward it to the leadership candidates.

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