“We need a UK-EU deal which puts consumers first”

The UK is set to leave the EU in a matter of days, after which time the nation will be in a transition period until 31st December 2020 with government negotiating trade agreements.

In a recent article in the Financial Times, Chancellor Sajid Javid was quoted as saying in regards to regulatory alignment with the EU after Brexit that; “There will not be alignment, we will not be a ruletaker, we will not be in the single market and we will not be in the customs union — and we will do this by the end of the year.”

Responding to Chancellor Sajid Javid’s comments, a BRC Spokesperson said, “We need a UK-EU deal which puts consumers first: minimising barriers to trade so that the British public do not face higher costs on food and other goods from next January. The UK imports half of the food it consumes, most of which from the EU. New tariffs and increased regulatory checks would increase the cost of food for everyone, and it is the Government’s responsibility to prevent this through its negotiations with the EU. A negotiation involves give and take from both sides but we need a pragmatic approach on our regulatory relationship with the EU.”