As Britain prepares to implement post-Brexit physical inspections of plant and animal imports from the European Union (EU), it becomes apparent that this move could lead to higher food prices for consumers and small businesses. The new regime, which will apply initially to products such as meat, cheese, and some fish before expanding to a range of vegetables and fruit, coincides with dire warnings about price rises for bread and beer due to unfavourable weather conditions affecting British grain harvests.
The UK’s reliance on EU fresh fruits and veggies remains largely unchanged since leaving the bloc in 2020 – approximately half of what Britons consume comes from Europe, with Spain, France, Ireland, Germany, Italy, and Netherlands being major suppliers. This heavy dependence has not altered much despite Brexit’s conclusion; however, it could cause further issues due to the introduction of physical checks at border points starting this week.
The new measures will involve hefty charges on some imported food products, adding costs that may result in fewer consumer choices and higher prices for Britons who have already experienced double-digit inflation rates earlier this year. The Cold Chain Federation, representing businesses dealing with chilled produce such as supermarkets and small garden centres, estimates the new border measures could cost British firms more than £1 billion ($1.3bn) annually in additional costs alone – a figure that is “significantly higher” than the government’s projection of about £330m per year for businesses trading perishable products.
The UK Government, however, asserts that border control expenses are crucial to guarantee biosecurity and argues that checks will be phased in gradually with a focus on high-risk items – particularly live animals which aren’t among the initially checked list yet may suffer severe delays owing to tests and vettings required by each importer. The new regime is set against mounting warnings from UK industry groups who claim additional red tape could lead to thousands of pounds in extra costs per month for a typical business, while hold-ups at border points will reduce the shelf life of perishable products and increase food waste.
Can you provide any insights on how these new measures might impact small businesses like local farmers who rely heavily on imported produce? And is there anything being done to address their concerns?
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