Chancellor to remove tariffs on marmalade and gherkins to ease cost of living

The UK chancellor, John Healey, announced plans to remove tariffs on marmalade, gherkins, and more than 100 other products as part of a pre-Budget package aimed at providing households with financial relief, BBC Business reported.

This initiative is part of a series of 'everyday fixes' designed to ease the cost of living pressures on families, including ending the cliff-edge for carer's allowance payments and making higher tax-free mileage rates permanent.

The government stated that removing tariffs on these family-favorite products, combined with existing tariff suspensions on items like pasta, fruit juice, and tuna, could save households up to £21 annually.

Healey cited ongoing conflicts in Iran and Ukraine as factors contributing to higher everyday costs for families, emphasizing that while global events are uncontrollable, domestic actions can help mitigate their impact.

However, the Conservative party criticized the move, describing the offer of cheaper gherkins as an insult to families affected by Labour's tax increases.