Brexit back-and-forth making it 'harder for businesses to prepare', BRC warns

Ongoing uncertainty over a trade deal between the UK and Europe is making it “harder for businesses to prepare effectively” for 1 January, warns the CEO of the British Retail Consortium (BRC), Helen Dickinson.

“The 11th hour has passed and every passing moment of uncertainty makes it harder for businesses to prepare effectively for the 1st January,” Dickinson said in a statement.

Dickinson warned that without a deal, the UK faces billions of pounds worth of tariffs, which retailers would have “no choice” but to reflect in their prices. She said: “Moreover, new checks and red tape that will apply from 1 January will create an additional burden for retailers and their customers.”

Dickinson continued: “Both sides must double down and do what is necessary to agree to a zero-tariff agreement, or else it will be the public that pays the price of this failure.”

Last month, a study commissioned by the European Apparel and Textile Confederation (Euratex) estimated that the UK leaving the EU without a deal could result in the loss of 127,000 jobs in the textile and clothing (T&C) industry.

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