UK retailers warn no-deal Brexit would risk food security
The British Retail Consortium has warned that food supplies and prices could be disrupted
London— Britain’s food security could be threatened if the country leaves the EU without a deal and suffers an abrupt hit to its trade with the bloc, the BBC quoted a retailers’ industry group as saying on Monday. A spokesperson for the British Retail Consortium (BRC) declined to comment on the BBC report but said the group had previously warned of the risks of a no-deal Brexit, including the possibility of higher food prices. Business leaders have expressed alarm at the prospect of chaos at ports if Britain does not agree on the terms of its withdrawal from the EU, which is scheduled to happen on March 29. The BBC said the BRC made its latest warning in a letter sent to legislators and signed by supermarket groups including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, the Co-operative Group, Marks & Spencer and Lidl. The BBC said the letter highlighted food retailers’ fears of disruption to suppliers at the end of March, noting that 90% of lettuces, 80% of tomatoes and 70% of soft fruit is impor...
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