Professionals from across the food & drink industry breathed a sigh of relief following the announcement of a new trade deal between the UK and the EU, which is expected to ease exchanges with the bloc. Many are reserving judgement, however, pending clarity on the detail and timeline.
Billed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer as “historic”, the deal was officially agreed at an EU summit hosted in London on 19th May. Perhaps the most important measure for the food & drink industry is a new Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) zone, to reduce the number of checks on incoming animal and plant products, which will cut paperwork and prevent border delays.
But with Defra still in talks with EU negotiators, the new measures may not be implemented anytime soon.
Brindisa’s NPD and buying manager Francisco Pombal told FFD that for the Spanish product importer, wholesaler, retailer and hospitality business, products of animal origin like charcuterie, cheeses, tinned and cured fish would be the primary beneficiaries of the agreement.
But, he said, “any cost savings will be directly linked to the extent of simplification in customs and SPS requirements” – which isn’t yet clear.
While Brindisa has continued working with all of its suppliers since Brexit, Pombal doesn’t foresee adopting a different approach to sourcing EU products until the detail of the deal emerges. However, he said, “it is encouraging that both the UK and the EU acknowledge the potential for significant improvement, which promises mutual benefits.”
This was echoed by Alison Trozzi of Just So Italian, a family-run importer, who said that although the new SPS measures sounded promising, “we haven’t seen any changes as yet, but we do anticipate a reduction in the massive amount of documentation required at the border”.
She also hopes that the new framework will allow the company to resume imports of fresh cheeses – which it discontinued due to increased prices and delivery time. “Until now, we have tried to absorb as many of the extra costs as possible. If we do see significant changes in import duty and administration costs, we will definitely pass this on to our customers.”
Before Brexit, Kent-based foodhall Macknade also imported a lot more cheese, sourcing it directly from affineurs. “Now, you’d need certification for each product on a mixed pallet”, said CEO Stefano Cuomo. “It’s just made the cost higher and process harder – especially for premium products.”
Dan Williams of the family-run Godfrey C. Williams in Cheshire also hopes the deal will help the shop recoup dropped lines. Although it buys most of its products through wholesalers, he said, “we had to cut our lines. Initially there were disappointed customers coming in for certain German meats, but we just couldn’t get them. Our suppliers said they weren’t available, and over time that turned into, ‘we’ve delisted the product.’ Hopefully that’ll change.”
Williams said the lack of a timeline was “a worry”, adding: “stagnation could lead to confusion and lost business. Something, at least by the end of the year, would be welcome.”
Director of the Guild of Fine Food, John Farrand, said that “less friction at the border for dairy and meat products has to be a good thing, especially for those smaller producers who have struggled over the past two to three years with the complexity of paperwork and unfathomable customs declarations and duty costs.”
Applauding the inevitable economic benefits, he said it would also deliver “the slightly softer, but equally important cultural advantages, nurturing stronger more meaningful relationships across the EU”.
Cuomo agreed that rebuilding these relationships would be a positive on a human front, “and it should be a real economic gain. I’d be surprised if the Government doesn’t try to capitalise on it.
“There’s criticism its reneging on Brexit, but if it can show a clear economic benefit from a closer EU relationship, it could become a political win. If not, it just looks like backtracking with no commercial gain. So I’d expect it to push this forward – and yes, it would help our margins.”
This article first appeared in the June-July 2025 issue of Fine Food Digest.
