Salad veg growers point to ‘cliff edge’ of 1 April date when electricity standing charges increase
The UK’s protected horticulture sector has issued an urgent warning that a 60-80 per cent increase in electricity standing charges from 1 April – and a further 60 per cent by 2030 – will force growers to raise prices or halt production, unless the government intervenes within weeks.
The British Tomato Growers’ Association (BTGA) and the Cucumber & Pepper Growers’ Association (CPGA) say the April deadline is a hard cliff edge, with some glasshouse businesses facing up to £1 million per year in additional charges. In 2027 there will be a similar increase.
“We are weeks away from unavoidable price rises for British tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers,” said Simon Conway, BTGA chair. “If the government doesn’t act before 1 April, growers will have no choice but to pass these costs on or stop production altogether.”
Conversations with Ofgem and Defra are progressing, the groups said, but they noted that the 1 April deadline is looming and fast action is “essential” to avoid a food inflation surge across the sector.
“To be clear: without urgent government intervention, the UK will lose its ability to grow its own protected salads, gifting production to overseas competitors,” the groups warned in a statement. ”The Netherlands has built a world‑leading protected horticulture sector because their energy policy supports investment and long‑term planning.
”The UK has the talent and the technology – but not the policy. If ministers want British growers to survive and thrive, they must act now. Delay any longer and we will permanently fall behind our European competitors and become increasingly dependent on foreign imports, commonly in water-scarce southern Europe or North Africa in the winter months.”
The sector remains locked out of the Energy Intensive Industries (EII) exemption scheme due to outdated SIC codes, the groups noted, despite operating at energy intensities comparable to manufacturing sectors receiving a 90 per cent discount.
Growers say the government could fix the issue quickly by updating eligibility rules, describing that as a simple intervention that would immediately ease pressure on UK food production and help prevent further food inflation.
“This is a preventable crisis,” Conway added. “Without urgent action, domestic production will shrink, imports will rise, and consumers will pay the price.”
