Brexit delays endanger UK's fresh food supply, retailers warn

London

UK shoppers could be deprived of fresh Spanish oranges and prime cuts of Irish beef unless the government quickly smooths out post-Brexit customs processes, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) warned.

The number of inbound shipments of goods requiring checks would more than quadruple to 255 million per year if the UK leaves the European Union (EU) without a deal, the trade group, which represents retailers including Tesco plc and Marks & Spencer Group plc, said in a report on Wednesday. The country needs to invest more in its roads and ports to prevent delays, it said.