Supply chains under strain: new challenges posed by Brexit border rules

The introduction of new post Brexit border rules relating to food and drink entering the UK from the EU is likely to have a significant disruptive impact on supply chains, and the business relationships underlying them. 

To date suppliers in the EU have not been required to notify the UK government before delivering perishable products such as meat and dairy. However, it is feared that new border rules coming into effect will potentially add significant delays to deliveries. 

It has been reported that the shelf life of fresh food from Europe could be cut by a fifth. In turn this will have an impact on the saleability of delayed items, making it less profitable for European suppliers to supply to the UK. 

This potential disruption comes on top of the existing and continuing risks to supply chains in 2024 that we talk about as part of our Dispute Resolution Campaign “Navigating Risk Horizons” here. 

The effect of recent global events and conflict on the supply of goods around the world has been significant. The potential challenge posed by new rules in EU imports again highlights the need for all businesses to be prepared for supply shortages, to have contingency plans in place and to keep supply chain contracts under review. 

You can read more about protecting and managing business resilience in the current climate, forming part of the same Campaign here.