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Wednesday, Apr 01, 2026

Which food prices will be increased by Brexit?

Which food prices will be increased by Brexit?

As of January 1, Britain stops adhering to European Union rules following Brexit – which means new rules on everything from European flights to what we eat are on the way.

The terms are still under negotiation, so it is not yet known what the changes will be.

However, it is possible that Brexit will have an impact on our food shop prices – as 26% of the food eaten in the UK comes from EU countries, according to gov.uk.

But why would food prices change, and what foods could be affected?

Why would food prices change because of Brexit?


Though the UK left the EU on January 31 2020, no major changes were made to the way trade worked between the two parties.

Those changes will come into play on January 1 2021, after a series of negotiation talks between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and EU officials.


Could the price of fruit increase due to Brexit?


The changes involve significant import taxes (tariffs) from both sides, which would be required by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) – unless the UK and EU agree a trade deal to carry on without tariffs in the coming days.

This higher cost of import means that the price of the foods would also increase.

Which foods will go up in price because of Brexit?


If a deal isn’t agreed, and WTO rules come into place, it’s likely certain products in our supermarkets will become slightly more expensive.

It’s still speculation at the moment, but here’s what that could look like:

Pork, bacon and beef – slightly more expensive bacon is a possibility in the event of a ‘no-deal’ scenario.

Brie – Tesco chair John Allan recently suggested that brie prices could rise by 40% if import taxes are implemented.

Fruit and veg – unbranded products from the EU could see a price rise of 12.5%, depending on what happens during trade negotiations, according to the BBC.


Chicken, fruit and veg prices are thought to be affected by tariffs


Halloumi or Roquefort cheese – these cheeses could be 55% more expensive, according to the London School of Economics.

Fresh chicken – tariffs could reach 12p per chicken, according to Which? That doesn’t necessarily mean customers will pay 12p extra, though.

Will any food prices drop because of Brexit?


Even if a deal IS agreed, it’s highly unlikely any prices on EU food products will drop.

The London School of Economics estimates that with a variety of other costs adding up, there’ll be a 4.7% price rise on unbranded products from the EU.

That said, as new trade deals with non-EU countries roll in, anything could happen.

Just remember that cheaper doesn’t always equal better – especially as extremely low prices might be devastating competition for UK farmers, who currently supply around 50% of the country’s food.

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