M&S warns of new food supplies threat as Brexit rules change

Marks & Spencer has warned of a range of looming problems for food supplies when Brexit rules change next month.

The retailer has written to suppliers saying UK and EU governments are not ready for the fresh wave of bureaucracy due when a grace period on checks ends.

New rules mean lorry drivers importing goods need some 700 pages of documents.

The changes are the latest potential threat to supply chains which are already under stress due to shortages of lorry drivers and other staff.

In a letter to suppliers, first reported by the Times, M&S set out a wide range of problems, including a lack of vets for essential checks, governments' unpreparedness - in some cases having not translated the rules into local languages, while it says some authorities "do not appear to know what will be required".

It also says officials in some EU member states only work standard office hours from Monday to Friday, which are not going to be able to keep pace with the 24/7 pace of cross border trade.

M&S says EU markets represent over 25% of all UK food imports, adding "If we don't see a more common sense approach to compliance, this is going to hurt everyone involved".

Marks and Spencer says unless matters are simplified, there is a "real danger of disruption and delay at the EU to GB border that will lead to significant food waste across the sector, reductions in range and availability, and inflationary pressures".

As well as EU member countries importing into Great Britain, the issue will markedly affect goods crossing from Great Britain into Northern Ireland.

Currently, supermarkets which send products to Northern Ireland from Great Britain face only light-touch checks, under a so-called "grace period" which delayed some of the new post-Brexit processes.

The Northern Ireland Protocol helps prevent the need for checks on the island of Ireland's internal border.

M&S warned in July it had already cut Christmas products in Northern Ireland due to concerns over the forthcoming post-Brexit customs checks.

Its chairman, former Conservative party MP Mr Norman, said once light-touch export checks end, there would be "gaps on the shelves" there.