Importers Warned To Prepare As Non-EU Produce Checks Threaten Fresh Food Supply

The Fresh Produce Journal has reported that importers are being urged to consider the potential impact of future checks on non-EU fresh produce, following discussions at this year’s Festival of Fresh.

Image: Fresh Produce Journal

The warning comes as the industry continues to assess the consequences of the proposed UK-EU sanitary and phytosanitary agreement, which could reduce trade friction with Europe but risk shifting new costs, complexity and uncertainty onto global fresh produce supply routes.

For the UK fresh produce sector, this is not a technical footnote. It is a major food security issue.

Speaking previously on the implications of the SPS reset, Fresh Produce Consortium Chief Executive Nigel Jenney warned that while closer alignment with the EU may remove some of the costly border bureaucracy affecting EU trade, it must not come at the expense of imports from the rest of the world.

The UK sources around half of its fresh produce from the EU, but the remaining half comes from global suppliers. Citrus, mangoes, blueberries, sweet potatoes, avocados, pineapples and many other essential products rely on efficient international supply chains that cannot simply absorb heavy-handed border checks without consequence.

Nigel has warned that dynamic alignment with EU rules could mean EU inspection standards being applied to fresh produce imported from outside Europe, even where those goods are destined solely for the UK market. That could dramatically increase inspection rates on certain products and create a new cost burden for importers already operating on tight margins.

The danger is clear. A deal designed to smooth UK-EU trade could unintentionally penalise global suppliers, reduce flexibility for British buyers and ultimately push extra costs towards consumers.

Fresh produce is not a slow-moving commodity. It is highly perishable, time-sensitive and dependent on rapid, predictable movement through the supply chain. Additional checks, delays and paperwork can quickly translate into waste, reduced availability and higher prices on supermarket shelves.

That is why the industry is calling for clarity before businesses are forced once again to prepare for a border regime without the detail needed to plan properly.

The Fresh Produce Consortium has consistently argued that the UK needs a smarter, more proportionate border strategy — one that protects biosecurity without damaging trade, restricting consumer choice or undermining national food resilience.

Importers now face an urgent need to assess exposure across non-EU supply routes and understand which products could be affected if stricter SPS alignment is applied. But responsibility cannot sit with businesses alone. Government must provide clear timelines, practical guidance and safeguards for global sourcing.

The UK cannot afford to solve one border problem by creating another.

As Nigel Jenney has warned, global fresh produce supply is not optional. It is central to keeping Britain fed, keeping prices stable and ensuring consumers can access the range of fruit, vegetables, plants and flowers they expect all year round.

The message from Festival of Fresh is therefore a timely one: importers must prepare, but government must also act. Without a fair and workable approach for non-EU produce, the next border crisis may already be waiting in the wings.