Fish and chip shops might have to use cheaper products and crank up prices by an extra £3 to tackle the cost of living crisis.
Chippies have been a popular choice in recent weeks as Brits flocked to the seaside and took advantage of the iconic national dish.
But half of them could go out of business across the UK amid an increase in costs and tariffs.
A tariff on all seafood imported from Russia has had a devastating impact on the industry.
In turn, the price of a meal at a fish and chip shop could be set to increase from an average of £8.50 to £11.50 countrywide, My London reports.
Up to 5,000 fish and chip shops could be lost from British high streets and seaside towns.
Chippies may also have to replace traditional cod and haddock with hake and other types of cheaper white fish as the tariff on overseas fish has caused an increase in prices.
Last week, ministers accepted a 35 per cent tariff on all seafood imported from Russia in a bid to punish Vladimir Putin for his invasion of Ukraine.
About a third of imported white fish in the UK comes from Russia so the tariff is set to cause a dilemma for many shop owners across the UK.
Owner Andre Cook told The Sun his supply of cod has risen from £8 to £14 per kilo.
"These extra tariffs will push thousands of shops over the edge," he said.
Barrie Deas, chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations, said: “Costs will go up.
"But there is a big opportunity to increase North Sea catches such as haddock and whiting.”
A Government spokesperson told the publication: "The UK stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine and we will continue to ratchet the pressure to isolate the Russian economy and inflict maximum damage to Putin's regime.
"We know fish and chips shops are a well-loved British tradition and we are working closely with industry to mitigate the impact these sanctions may have on British businesses."
It comes after hopes that fish and chip shops could benefit from lowered seafood tariffs after the UK and Greenland started trade talks in January.
Negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement were formally launched on January 27 with the hope of reducing tariffs on seafood and strengthening other the relationship.
Trade between the two countries was worth £10million in 2020, with cold-water shrimp, worth an estimated £49million, additionally shipped from Greenland to the UK.
