Businesses 'still unsure' about new post-Brexit import checks and charges amid warnings of price hikes

New post-Brexit import checks on animal and plant products are ramped up today (30 April), with companies warning they will push up prices for consumers.

Businesses have been scathing about the government’s implementation of the new border controls, saying they have been “left in the dark” and hitting out at additional costs and red tape. While British goods exported into the EU have been subject to controls following Brexit, checks the other way have been delayed five times over fears they may cause inflation.

From today, importers will have to pay up to £145 to bring small amounts of products such as cheese, salami and fish through the port of Dover or the Eurotunnel, as part of the UK’s new border model. Certain medium-risk shipments and all high-risk animal products will be transferred to a government outpost in Sevington, Kent, more than 20 miles from Dover, where they will be assessed.

Paolo Arrigo is managing director of Seeds of Italy, which imports the historic Italian Franchi seed brand to the UK.. He sells endangered, regional and heritage seed varieties to wholesalers, garden centres and the Royal Horticultural Society.

“These are living things,” he told NationalWorld. “They can't sit on hot lorries for hours and hours waiting for inspections. All of these extra things, delays, cost money. I’m despondent - we feel like we’ve been thrown under the bus.”

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs says it will build up to full checks in a pragmatic way, however this has left more questions that answers for businesses and ports - who are having to pay for the extra red tape.

Federation of Small Businesses National Chair Martin McTague said: “It’s disappointing that the day import checks are due to come in, small firms are still unsure about the process. They have already been delayed five times so there’s really no excuse not to have communicated what’s going on to small firms.

“On top of that, because the fees will apply whether or not an item is checked, it could have a disproportionate impact on the cost of trade. The ripple effect of that will lead to businesses having to pass costs onto customers, reduce their offering or shut up shop entirely. We’d like to see the government bring in a fee that reflects the fact that small firms don’t have a lot of spare cash right now and rarely import high value items.”

Labour MP for Walthamstow Stella Creasy described the new measures as a “Brexit border tax”. She said: “Whether you supported or opposed Brexit nothing being proposed here is inevitable or unavoidable. Having left the EU we do need border controls, but what is being proposed won’t be controlled, it will be chaos.” Minister Sir Mark Harper responded by saying “it is a small price to pay for making sure that we are safe and protected”.

A government spokesperson said: “There has been extensive engagement with businesses over the past year – with our approach welcomed by several trade associations and port authorities. We will continue to work with and support businesses throughout this process to maintain the smooth flow of imported goods.

“We are confident we have sufficient capacity and capability across all points of entry to handle the volume and type of expected checks. It is important to remember the cost of our border checks is negligible compared to the impact of a major disease outbreak on our economy and farmers.”

When asked by NationalWorld, if the new checks were an example of red tape caused by Brexit, Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman said “no”. He explained: “Leaving the EU has allowed the UK to remove rules and regulations. What the Border Target Operating Model is designed to do is to ensure we have necessary protections against biosecurity risks, which the public would expect. By using smart use of data and technology we are minimising impact on traders to the lowest level.”

The checks have been repeatedly delayed over concerns they could fuel inflation. A recent report by Allianz Trade found the controls will add a bill of £2billion to consumers and could push up inflation, which has dogged Sunak’s time in office.

Ralph Blackburn is NationalWorld’s politics editor based in Westminster, where he gets special access to Parliament, MPs and government briefings. If you liked this article you can follow Ralph on X (Twitter) here and sign up to his free weekly newsletter Politics Uncovered, which brings you the latest analysis and gossip from Westminster every Sunday morning.