Brexit Delays Endanger U.K.'s Fresh Food Supply, Retailers Warn
- Dutch tomatoes, Spanish oranges could languish at ports
- U.K. needs more investment to prevent delays, group says
Beef sirloin steaks are displayed behind the meat counter at a Publix Super Markets Inc. grocery store in Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S., on Wednesday, March 5, 2014. Publix's sales for the fourth quarter of 2013, were $7.4 billion, a 5.3 percent increase from last year's $7.0 billion.
Photographer: Luke Sharrett/BloombergU.K. 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 warned.
The number of inbound shipments of goods requiring checks would more than quadruple to 255 million per year if the U.K. leaves the European Union without a deal, the trade group, which represents retailers including Tesco Plc and Marks & Spencer Group Plc, said in a report Wednesday. The country needs to invest more in its roads and ports to prevent delays, it said.