People are only just finding out secret every chip shop keeps about their vinegar and it’s leaving them shocked

There's not much better than the good old-fashioned chippy tea.

Whether you're a haddock lover or more of a battered sausage kinda gal - one thing we can all agree is a total staple when it comes to a chippy tea is, no surprise, chips.

Now when it comes to what we have our chips with - people can opt for mushy peas, curry sauce, gravy and even cheese but regardless of what we dip our chippies into - many of us douse 'em in copious amounts of salt and vinegar.

But people are only just finding out the secret every chip shop keeps about their vinegar and it’s leaving them well and truly shocked. See for yourself:

It seems like chippy shop vinegar is not actually what we think it is.

One YouTuber, Tom Scott, shared a clip revealing that lots of fish and chip shops are actually using a malt vinegar substitute made with water, acetic acid, and flavourings.

Unsurprisingly, the bloke was left pretty unimpressed by the bombshell revelation and suggested that chippy's should be more upfront with customers.

In the clip, he said: "Most people don’t know that this isn’t vinegar. Legally, it can’t be described as vinegar.

"Trading standards are really clear on that. It cannot be put in the little bottles that people traditionally associate with vinegar."

So, what's the reason for the switch-up that has seemingly riled Brits all over?

Well, firstly, it's cheaper and can be brought in concentrated form, meaning it's easier to transport and store.

The vinegar alternative, which is actually called a 'non-brewed condiment', is also halal and gluten-free, meaning it's more inclusive for a wider customer base.

Even with that said, it's clear chippy tea aficionados were left in utter disbelief with one YouTube user writing: "That explains why it doesn't taste the same when I put vinegar on my fish and chips at home."

"I would say it absolutely does matter from a taste perspective. (To me at least) The real stuff just tastes so much better," admitted a second, while a third hit out: "This would explain the 'weak as p*ss' taste to chippie vinegar these days. They dilute it too much."

Ouch.

Others, however, clearly weren't as fazed, with a fourth revealing: "I had absolutely no idea! And now that I know, I couldn’t care less.

"I have actually always preferred the vinegar on the counter and always wondered why it tastes better than the well known branded bottle in my cupboard!"

While another echoed: "Chip shop ‘non-brewed condiment’ tastes much better on chips than malt vinegar, but real vinegar tastes better on other things, like a fry up, egg-bread and fried bread and cheese."

What do you make of it?

Featured Image Credit: SolStock/Lemanieh/Getty Images

Topics: UK News, Food and Drink, Life

Rhiannon Ingle

Rhiannon Ingle is a Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from the University of Manchester in 2021 in English Literature. Alongside her studies, she was the Lifestyle Editor of The Mancunian, the largest student newspaper in the United Kingdom. Her favourite topics to write about include sex and relationships, bizarre lifestyle trends and all things travel.