Food prices: hospitality industry 'ignored'

The Government is not listening to caterers hit by rising food prices, an industry chief has warned.

Speaking at the British Hospitality Association's annual lunch on Wednesday, chief executive Bob Cotton said that the hospitality industry was being hard-hit by food price inflation.

He added that the Chancellor should have invited catering representatives to a meeting held last month with food retailers and the National Farmers' Union.

"Does the Government not realise that more food is consumed out of the home than in it?" said Cotton, quoted by Caterer magazine. "Does the chancellor not realise that food price inflation is affecting restaurants and hospitals, schools and businesses just as much as the consumer?"

Last week, a survey by the magazine showed that contract caterers expected food price inflation to continue in the short to medium term.

Meanwhile, the Government has promised that £112 million will be spent on training for people working in hospitality over the next three years. The funds aim to "improve the qualifications and skills of [the sector's] workforce, and offer greater numbers of apprenticeships".

The money will be administered through the Train to Gain scheme, which was criticised last week by the British Chambers of Commerce for being "too bureaucratic".