by Specialist meats such as Parma ham and Spanish chorizo sausage could start disappearing from the shelves of UK supermarkets and delis due to costly new Brexit checks, food sector bosses have said The Independent.
Rishi Sunak’s government has been warned of major supply problems with EU meat and dairy products when red tape and extra inspections are imposed on imports from April.
Some suppliers of specialist products – such as French cheeses, Italian ham and Spanish chorizo sausages – will give up on Britain because of the extra cost and “huge hassle” of shipping goods, industry leaders say.
Food sector leaders are also warning of supply problems with fruit and vegetables – including price spikes and possible shortages – when extra controls on fresh produce come into force later in the year.
It comes as alarm has been raised about damage to plants and flower imports – as farming chiefs say new controls pose a “major threat” to British horticultural businesses.
Mr Sunak was urged to a new deal with Brussels on food and agricultural standards to avoid a “major step backwards” in British supply chains.
Expensive new health certificates are required for medium-risk food, animal and plant imports – including meat and dairy – from 31 January. And a brand new system of physical checks on these goods at the UK border comes into force on 30 April.
The Cold Chain Federation – which represents British businesses that import chilled and frozen food – says it will cost EU suppliers hundreds of pounds to have their products inspected by veterinary specialists before they are sent across the Channel.
“If you’re a small exporter – a supplier of meat such as Parma ham, salami or chorizo - the extra cost per consignment is likely to be hundreds of pounds,” said group executive director Tom Southall.
“There is a risk that some EU firms will decide not to interfere [with the UK] because they don’t want to pay the extra costs,” he said. “So the UK consumer may not have as much choice in the future.”
The British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) is also warning that the variety of specialty items on UK shelves could dry up after physical checks start in April.
Delis, food markets and restaurants will struggle to stock the same variety of artisan goods, the BMPA has warned, as British importers dry up trade links with smaller European suppliers.
“The biggest fear is that smaller businesses in the EU will find it too impractical and too expensive,” said Peter Hardwick, the BMPA’s trade policy adviser. “It’s a big concern.”
The industry leader also warned of rising prices for major meat products – including Irish beef, French lamb and bacon and ham imported from Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands – due to a wave of red tape Brexit 2024.
Mr Hardwick said: “This is the impact of Brexit. The new controls are a major step backwards in the way supply chains should operate between close neighbours.”
From next week, EU businesses will have to pay for a veterinary health certificate – a new check within their own country – as well as fill out online paperwork to notify the UK that the good guys are coming.
And from April, costs will be found through the inspection checks at the border of the United Kingdom – although the government has yet to make clear the exact fees.
The Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) said some businesses in the EU had to prepare for additional costs of up to £2,000 per lorry, if they put different types of food in the same truck.
The FPC is also furious that this week the government decided to impose new costs on bringing in fruit and vegetables by classifying them as “medium risk”, along with meat and dairy products.
From October, the regular physical inspections will also apply to apples, strawberries, peaches, plums, pears, blueberries and grapes, as well as vegetables such as tomatoes, sweet potatoes and carrots.
Nigel Jenney, chief executive of the FPC, said it was a “big blow to the industry”, adding: “We are talking about substantial additional costs. And those increased costs will ultimately be passed on to consumers.”
He also warned that smaller European food firms would overtake the UK. “It may happen that some of them decide not to [export to Britain]. If I were a European exporter, I would have to think, ‘Is this huge hassle really worth it?'”
Mr Jenny said: “There could be less choice on the shelves for charcuterie meats and specialty cheeses. But it affects everyone in the food industry from a cost perspective.”
The warnings come as severe shortages of tomatoes, peppers and other salad vegetables forced British supermarkets to impose rationing last year – with photos of empty shelves scoffing at people living in Europe.
Andrea Rasca, founder of the Mercato Metropolitano food markets in London, said he is concerned that the new checks will make it harder to supply specialist products. He warned that problems for producers of fresh fruit and vegetables could “have a negative impact on food prices and the variety of food available”.
He said: “The food and hospitality sectors are currently struggling due to Brexit and the cost of living crisis, and the government should be doing more to support them.”
The big wave of post-Brexit border checks on imports was due to start in 2023. But Mr Sunak’s government has delayed its introduction until 2024 over fears the burden could push up food inflation during the cost crisis. living.
Mr Sunak rejected calls from food sector leaders to secure a new deal with the EU to cut red tape. Sir Keir Starmer has promised that the Labor government will seek a new veterinary agreement with Brussels to align some safety standards, to ease trade friction.
British flower importers and growers who rely on young plants from the EU – such as soft fruit such as strawberries and raspberries – are likely to be hit by disruption. The National Farmers Union has warned that it could hamper next year’s crops, and even put some businesses at risk of collapse.
Earlier this month, the Dutch Association of Wholesalers of Floricultural Products said checks should be pushed back again to 2025 – warning of problems getting flowers to the UK for Valentine’s Day and Easter.
A spokesman for the government has said it remains determined to “deliver the highest border in the world” after Brexit.
They said: “The controls introduced by the new model play a vital role in keeping the UK safe, protecting our food supply chains and our farming sector from harmful disease outbreaks.”
They added: “We are taking a phased approach – including temporarily moving all medium risk goods from the EU, such as fruit and vegetables, to low risk to ensure there are no unnecessary burdens on businesses. We will continue to work closely with businesses across the UK as the controls are implemented.”
