Supply problems
Why the UK could run out of food from January 1st
Empty UK supermarket shelves: the new controls could exacerbate the problem.
© Dinendra Haria // Picture Alliance
At the turn of the year, the British will be faced with further controls on food imports. There is a threat of serious delays and supply bottlenecks. The call for help grows louder.
Difficult times for the British: At the turn of the year, controls on food imports from the EU are introduced. This could drastically delay the delivery of goods, warns a British association. This could lead to food shortages in the supermarkets in January, said the head of the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF), Richard Harrow.
The following applies from January 1st: All importers must declare their deliveries from the EU in advance and in full to customs. Since there had been repeated difficulties in trade since Brexit, the government in London had initially suspended this measure. Great Britain imports around five times more food from the EU than it exports to the international community.
Goods leaving the UK for Europe have been subject to stricter controls for a year. This had repeatedly led to problems in retail.
Empty supermarket shelves in the UK
British importers are now concerned about the new controls, as there are still areas that BFFF members are not aware of. “Since there are only a few days left before the new rules apply, we are still concerned that January could be a busy month for our members,” said Harrow, according to the “dpa”.
Large retail chains such as Tesco, but also trade associations, have been calling on Premier Johnson to act for months. Since Brexit, the supply of food is no longer guaranteed in the usual quality and selection. Hamster purchases were feared for Christmas. The images of empty shelves in the media could lead to this. As a result of the further controls, experts now fear that prices, which have already risen due to Brexit and the lack of EU employees in the supply chain, could climb further. “The longer and more expensive process would lead to higher costs for the consumer,” criticized Simon Sutcliffe, partner at the tax and consultancy firm Blick Rothenberg in the British press. Sean Glancy, a partner in the accounting group UHY Hacker Young, has asked the government to suspend the customs regime again. “The UK government should seriously consider making the changes […] to postpone until the disruptions caused by Covid are finally over, “said Glancy.” Nobody wants to risk further problems in cross-border trade.