Food producers warn of closures because minimum wage ‘too high’

FOOD producers are at severe risk of going out of business due to a minimum wage that is 34% higher here than in Britain, the Irish Exporters Association (IEA) argues.

The IEA warns that more job losses will follow the 10%-15% of its workforce already shed by the Irish food sector. The industry is also struggling to compete against the weakness of sterling and the non-availability of banking credit.

IEA Food and Drink Council chairman and MD of Mr Crumb Bernard Coyle said: “It is almost impossible for Irish food exporters to compete in the British market – a market that accounts for 43% of all food exports from Ireland. Our brands are also under severe pressure from British competitors in the home market.”