Household Shopping Bills Could Soar Again with New Charges
Scottish businesses are set to be hit with even more Brexit pain as new inspection charges on food entering the UK from the EU have been put on the table by the Tories.
Plans drawn up by the UK government would see a charge of £43 for each shipment of food coming in from the continent.
Experts from the food and logistics industry have warned this could push prices up even higher for consumers.
Head of trade at the British Chambers of Commerce, William Bain, warned that the charges would hit small businesses particularly hard as they would be bringing in ‘smaller, lower value shipments’.
Commenting, the SNP’s Europe and EU Accession spokesperson Alyn Smith MP said:
“Businesses and consumers in Scotland have been hammered by Brexit and it could get even worse if the UK government introduces this unnecessary tax on food imports during a Tory-made cost of living crisis.
“This would increase costs for food producers and that cost would be passed on to consumers who are already having household budgets cut to the bone due to Brexit and the economic incompetence of this rotten Tory government.
“Scottish businesses have been devastated by Brexit as they have had a trade barrier put in front of them to the biggest single market in the world, the European Union.
“We have no hope of a brighter future under a Labour government either as they would keep Scotland out of the European Union, no matter the never-ending economic consequences of Brexit.
“That is why the only way Scotland can flourish is by becoming an independent country as a member of the European Union.”
Notes
https://www.ft.com/content/3b3ec1be-1dfe-40fd-b8c9-a29314105118