The Corn Laws were a series of tariffs and trade restrictions on imported grain in the United Kingdom, which were designed to keep grain prices high for domestic producers. However, the main cause for their repeal in 1846 was the widespread protest from industrialists and urban workers who were suffering from high bread prices. The industrial and urban population demanded cheaper food, and these protests, combined with the economic pressures of the time, eventually led to the end of the Corn Laws.