Brexit: food and drink exports to EU suffer ‘disastrous’ decline

First-half sales fall 2bn, says industry body, as barriers are compounded by staff shortages

Exports of food and drink to the EU have suffered a disastrous" decline in the first half of the year because of Brexit trade barriers, with sales of beef and cheese hit hardest.

Food and Drink Federation (FDF) producers lost 2bn in sales, a dent in revenue that could not be compensated for by the increased sales in the same period to non-EU countries including China and Australia.