The BBC reports that just over a quarter of all food eaten in the UK is produced in the EU.
Even though the UK left the EU on 31 January this year, trading with the EU carried on as it did before. Spanish lettuce, Dutch tomatoes, French wine and Danish bacon came into the UK without checks on the border, and without the UK government applying any import taxes – known as tariffs.
After 1 January, the rules change but agreement is still being negotiated, but there are two main possible outcomes.
- The UK and the EU may agree a new trade deal, which allows those imports to continue without tariffs being paid.
- Or, if the UK and the EU can’t agree a deal, trade between the countries must follow to the rules set out by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) which include significant tariffs on foods heading in directions.
