Stormont update: “Costs of ‘not for EU’ labelling would be significant”, says FDF
Following the Democratic Unionist Party’s (DUP) announcement that Northern Ireland will return to a power sharing Government, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has issued a response statement from chief executive Karen Betts.
After operating without a devolved Government for two years, Northern Ireland’s Stormont power-sharing executive will now be restored. This comes as DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson revealed that it had agreed a deal to scrap post-Brexit customs checks.
The DUP had previously opposed the Northern Ireland protocol, withdrawing from power in February 2022. It had spent two years boycotting the Windsor Framework.
FDF chief executive Karen Betts said: “We’re waiting to hear from the Government on what yesterday’s deal with the DUP means for the food and drink industry.
“It’s critical to food and drink businesses that any deal does not cause unnecessary costs to manufacturers and, ultimately, to consumers across the UK – particularly when households are already grappling with a cost-of-living crisis.
“The impact and costs of requiring ‘not for EU’ labelling on products sold right across the UK, not only in Northern Ireland, would be significant. We estimate the costs would run into hundreds of millions of pounds. Manufacturers could be forced to reduce the number of products they sell in the UK and food and drink exports are likely to fall, particularly those produced by SMEs.”
Further details regarding the terms of agreement will be revealed in due course.
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