As we enter February, some of the uncomfortable consequences of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (FKA Brexit deal) with the EU are becoming clear.
UK Flour Millers has been working with Irish bakery customers to try and manage issues relating to the use of Canadian wheat in grists, as flour with a Canadian wheat content of more than 15 per cent faces a tariff of around 50 per cent when it moves between Great Britain and the EU.
Clearly this has a most unwelcome impact on bakers and consumers, equivalent to a consumer price increase of 9 per cent according to analysis for the Irish government.
Elsewhere, dairy and meat products are subject to extensive paperwork requirements and many smaller businesses are having to get to grips with the need for customs agents. (One of the more bizarre consequences of the agreement is that products such as chilled pizza or meat-filled pasta now need to be signed off by a vet before crossing to the EU!)
The UK is phasing in similar paperwork requirements, which will come into force in April and July this year. As we did during the negotiations, we will do all we can to highlight issues affecting flour millers to government officials and attempt to head off problems wherever possible.
