UK heatwave will hit food supplies and could worsen #Brexit disruption: food lobby

With just over eight months left until Britain is due to leave the European Union, there is little clarity about how trade will flow as Prime Minister Theresa May, who is grappling with a rebellion in her party, is still trying to strike a deal with the bloc.

“We’re going through the most extraordinary summer and we’re already seeing farmers struggling with crops, with feed for ruminants (cattle and sheep). There are vegetable shortages because there hasn’t been enough rain,” Wright told BBC radio.

On Tuesday (24 July) Brexit Minister Dominic Raab said the British government will ensure there are adequate food supplies in the event of a no-deal scenario. He did not give details but said “it would be wrong to describe it as the government doing the stockpiling”.

Around 40% of the food Britain consumes is imported, the vast majority of it from or via the EU.

Wright said businesses were increasingly preparing for a no-deal Brexit and it would be prudent to stockpile.

They would also want to forward buy so they are not subject to currency fluctuations, he said.

Wright said a hard Brexit would mean some food shortages.

“We saw just a few weeks ago with the Carbon Dioxide shortage how a random shock event can effect supply and we would see that again,” he said.

“So our shoppers would not see no food but they would see shortages.”

Earlier this month the British Retail Consortium warned a no-deal Brexit would clog up food supplies, raise prices and throw retailers out of business.