UK pet food industry hurt by Brexit checks and red tape

UK pet food industry hurt by Brexit checks and red tape

Survey shows only one-third of businesses managed to get products through to EU since start of 2021.

According to a survey of the industry carried out by the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association, concluded in mid-February, only one-third of businesses that attempted exports to Europe in 2021 had been successful.

Michael Bellingham, chief executive of the PFMA, said that confusion over paperwork and a lack of detailed knowledge from government officials was hitting the EU export sector worth £285m  (€327.5 m) a year. “Two-thirds of members are not getting their product through. It’s a big issue,” he said.

The pet food industry is the latest to flag up difficulties exporting to the EU, warning that applying rest-of-world trade processes to just-in-time EU trade that crosses multiple borders is creating a structural impediment to doing business. Their complaints echo similar frustrations from other food industries.

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