Post‑Brexit Border Checks: Will Our Food Prices Skyrocket?
People across the UK are already feeling the click‑of‑the‑doorline. The new Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) is up and running, and it’s ushering in further documentation verifications and longer waits for a host of goods crossing the frontier.
Why the Extra Scrutiny Matters
- Medium‑Risk Items – Like certain animal and plant products from the EU, now face stricter checks. Think documentation divas, identity test‑tubes, and a bit more paperwork for the paperwork.
- Longer Lines – Expect more time at the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel. Picture everyone holding their phones like it’s a game of Who Wants to Be a Checkout?
- New Fees – Importers may pay up to £145 per medium‑risk item – that’s the cost of keeping our borders tight and the UK’s bio‑security bulletproof.
The Big Talk from the Cabinet
Baroness Baroness Neville‑Rolfe swooned over the new system. She said, “We must roll out these global, risk‑based checks to protect the UK’s bio‑security. Temporary measures leave us open to disease threats that could wreck our livelihoods and farmers.”
She added, “We’ve heard from every part of the industry and will keep helping them slide into these changes as smooth as a butter‑cream cake.”
Industry Ops: “This doesn’t Work”
Phil Pluck, chief executive of the Cold Chain Federation, blasted the model as a broken one. He warned the council that ignoring expert voice could “seriously damage UK business confidence” and jack up the cost of a weekly grocery run.
In short, he’s putting the pressure point on the government to pause or tweak BTOM, because “without listening to the experts, the UK’s consumers will see their carts filling up with wheat‑woes.”
What’s the Bottom Line?
It appears we’re heading toward more paperwork and higher bread costs, but at least the UK will be warding off pesky bio‑security threats. Championing the same level of quality while keeping the industry afloat is the real challenge—as busy as a bee in a supermarket aisle.
