British consumers brace for inconvenient shopping sans clear post-Brexit trade deal

British shoppers will have to face a tougher market situation by getting relatively higher prices and reduced supply of goods if the Boris Johnson-led British government won’t be able to iron things out with the European Union on regulatory checks at ports in post-Brexit agreement, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said on Monday.

The United Kingdom had a smooth sailing import and export activities when it was still with the EU. The Brexit era, however, makes it more difficult for the country to control and hold trades as the government said that border controls will be tightened to ensure regular collection of excise duties and secure borders once the transition period ends.

The BRC said that without the agreements with the European bloc, British firms might face the more tedious process of securing papers to cross borders including freight documents, VAT sales tax, excise papers, export health certificates, and the like.

“The issue is simple – higher tariffs and extensive checks will harm consumers, retailers, and the UK economy. The government must set about to negotiate a zero-tariff agreement that minimizes checks and red tape otherwise it will be consumers who suffer as a result,” Helen Dickinson, BRS chief executive said.