FDF responds to announcement by DUP on power sharing

Following the announcement by the DUP on power sharing last night, FDF’s CEO Karen Betts has issued the following statement.

Karen Betts, Chief Executive, The Food and Drink Federation 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.”