Written question asked by Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour) on Thursday, 9 July 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 14 July 2026 (named day). It was answered by Lucy Rigby (Labour) on Tuesday, 14 July 2026 on behalf of the Treasury.

Food: Import Duties

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the potential impact of including fresh bananas in the proposed list of everyday essential goods eligible for cost of living tariff suspensions on consumer costs.

Answer: As the Chancellor set out in her statement to the House on 24 March, she has asked officials to look at where targeted reductions to agrifood tariffs can help bring down food prices for consumers, balancing this against the implications for domestic producers, food security and other Government objectives. To assess the potential impact of the proposed tariff suspensions, announced on 21 May, the government invited the public and industry to respond to a call for input. This call for input closed on 24 June, and HM Treasury is working with relevant departments to carefully consider the evidence provided.

Secondary information