New Brexit bureaucracy could see more empty supermarket shelves, food chiefs warn

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New bureaucracy on imports could increase and lead to more shortages in the , industry bosses fear.

Food executives fear that port authorities are unprepared for the introduction of a series of controls, including health certifications on certain EU animal, plant and food products, which should be phased in from October 2023 in part of the Brussels exit deal.

New charges on goods entering Britain from the EU will also add 'hundreds of pounds' to the cost of importing each load truckload of goods, business leaders told The Independent - a burden that could see some small businesses 'struggle to survive'.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC ), which represents Britain's biggest supermarkets, fears the next wave of post-Brexit bureaucracy could cause disruption in Dover and other ports, which could in turn lead to fruit and vegetable shortages on the shelves.

Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the BRC, told The Independent that the additional checks could affect supply by delaying deliveries, and could also driving up food prices as businesses pass on the extra costs to shoppers.

He said the extra costs "are always a problem when we're fighting inflation," but warned that "the main impact [of checks] could be on the availability [of goods] if there are disruptions at ports".

Mr. Opie added: "In the fall we are increasing imports of fresh produce from Europe which have a short shelf life, so it is imperative that the system works well from day one to avoid any impact on customers."

Supermarkets are urging the government to provide ports with as much support as possible to prepare for the new controls. "Unfortunately there is a cost - it was an unavoidable consequence of Brexit", Mr Opie said.

The retail expert added: "The main focus, however, must be to get European supply chains and UK government checks. ready for October, to avoid disruptions in our ports. »

Mr. Opie will brief his peers on the food industry's continuing post-Brexit problems when he appears at the House of Lords Northern Ireland Protocol Committee hearing on Wednesday.

The The warning comes after severe shortages of tomatoes, peppers and other salad vegetables earlier this year forced major UK supermarkets to restrict sales, with pictures of empty shelves mocked by people living in Europe. /p

Amid fears that shortages could become even more common, the government has warned business leaders that new controls on imports from the EU will result in around £400m a year additional costs - which is down...