Food: Wholesale Trade

(asked on 20th October 2020) - View Source

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide financial support to food and drink wholesalers to ensure continuity of food supply to the public sector.


Answered by
Kemi Badenoch Portrait
Kemi Badenoch
President of the Board of Trade
This question was answered on 26th October 2020

The Government has provided unprecedented levels of support for workers and businesses to protect, as much as possible, against the current economic emergency. Food and drink wholesalers have been eligible for a number of these support schemes, with the most relevant likely to include:

  • The Job Support Scheme designed to protect viable jobs in businesses who are facing lower demand over the winter months due to Covid-19;
  • £10,000 cash grants for all business properties in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief and Rural Rates Relief;
  • The Bounce Back Loan Scheme for small businesses to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000, with no interest payments or fees for the first 12 months.

Food and drink wholesalers have also benefited from the recent Eat Out to Help Out Scheme which provided over 100 million half price meals during August and helped to protect the livelihoods of the 1.8 million people working in the hospitality sector.

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