Food scarcity fears prompt plan to ease post-Brexit checks on EU imports

Ministers considering lighter touch' regime to avoid disruption to supplies from bloc

Ministers are preparing to relax post-Brexit plans for border checks on food and other imports from the European Union because of fears that they will further damage trade and could lead to severe shortages in UK supermarkets.

The Observer has been told by multiple industry sources that Boris Johnson's new Brexit minister, Lord Frost, is considering allowing lighter touch" controls on imports from 1 April than are currently planned, and scaling back plans for full customs checks, including physical inspections, which are due to begin on 1 July.