In a bold move to streamline post-Brexit trade, Marks & Spencer's head of food, Alex Freudmann, has thrown his weight behind Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's initiative to reset relations with the European Union. Freudmann is calling for an end to the "Brexit bureaucracy" that he believes hampers both UK and Irish businesses.
"There is no difference in food standards between the UK and the EU, so why do the rules pretend that there is?" Freudmann questioned in a recent interview with the Telegraph. He emphasised that "five years on, it is time to put an end to the Brexit bureaucracy that burdens both UK and Irish businesses," especially at a time "when the UK’s food businesses and farmers need all the help they can get" amid proposed changes to inheritance tax on farms.
Freudmann urged the Prime Minister to "move with pace" to eliminate unnecessary red tape affecting trade across the Irish Sea. He highlighted that current regulations on shipments to Ireland have saddled M&S with "paperwork that takes hours to complete" and incurred millions of pounds in additional costs.
M&S operates 39 stores in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, supplying products such as sandwiches, fresh produce, and ready meals transported across the Irish Sea.
A government spokesperson acknowledged the need to reduce trade barriers between the UK and the EU, stating, "If we want to grow our economy, we need to reduce barriers to UK and EU trade." The spokesperson reiterated the government's commitment to "tearing down unnecessary barriers to trade by seeking to agree a veterinary agreement with the EU – which could remove unnecessary checks and paperwork, and help tackle the cost of food."
As the Prime Minister engages with EU officials to strengthe hen the UK's relationship with the bloc, industry leaders like Freudmann are voicing strong support for initiatives aimed at easing trade tensions and fostering economic growth.
Comments