The Scottish Government has launched a public consultation on its proposed cap on the price of essential food items, such as bread, milk and eggs, despite acknowledging the policy could lead to shortages and other unintended consequences. First Minister John Swinney remains "convinced" the plan is sound and insists it could still be implemented by the end of the year, even though the consultation itself runs until 24 November and fails to specify which products would be covered or what the cap would actually be. Industry figures and opposition politicians have criticised the move, branding it a "bonkers 1970s-style" gimmick that risks damaging supply chains without addressing underlying inflation.

The consultation, quietly launched by junior minister Tom Arthur, would apply mandatory price ceilings on 20 to 50 essential items and cover businesses with turnover above £250 million, more than 250 staff, and over half their revenue from groceries. It confirms that if a capped product runs out, retailers would need to substitute it with another item at or below the cap. Critics, including the Scottish Retail Consortium's Ewan MacDonald-Russell and the Food and Drink Federation Scotland's David Thomson, say five months on from the policy's announcement, ministers still cannot answer basic questions about how it would work, while Reform UK's Kim Schmulian has called on Swinney to publish legal advice reportedly warning the plan may be unlawful.