The UK food industry has warned that a Brexit workforce shortage could leave a third of its businesses unviable and said that the sector faces a “rapidly approaching workforce shortage and skills gap”.
In a survey of the “farm-to-fork” supply chain, comprising more than 600 businesses, representing nearly a quarter of the food chain’s four million workforce, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) found that almost half of all businesses surveyed said EU nationals working in the UK were considering leaving. It said that 31% of them have already seen EU workers leave the country.
The survey also found that 36% of companies said they would become unviable if they had no access to EU workers and that 17% may relocate overseas if they had no access to EU nationals.
The Federation called on the Government to guarantee the rights of nationals from across the European Economic Area.
Ian Wright, director-general of the FDF, said: “It is only a matter of time before the uncertainty reported by businesses results in an irreversible exit of EU workers from these shores.
“Without our dedicated and valued workforce we would be unable to feed the nation.”
Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, which represents most major British retailers, said: “An abrupt reduction in the number of EU workers eligible to work in the UK after Brexit would result in significant disruption for the entire food supply chain, with consequences for the availability and price of UK goods for consumers.
“EU workers are key to getting British food on our shelves; from producing food, through transport to colleagues in store they are vital in providing the service and quality British consumers demand.”
