Food sector calls for transition period if UK and EU agree post-Brexit rules reset

Industry groups warn that aligning agriculture standards overnight could cost British businesses up to 810m a year

British food sector representatives have urged the government to introduce a transition period if it agrees to realign post-Brexit agriculture rules with the EU.

They warned that aligning regulations overnight would create a cliff edge" that could cost UK businesses between 500m and 810m a year, because of the divergence in standards since Brexit.