Business, Freight News, Logistics


Logistics UK welcomes end to SPS checks

[ May 28, 2026   //   ]

Logistics UK has welcomed the UK government announcement on 28 May that the UK and EU intend to scrap trade barriers affecting fresh food movements from mid-2027. According to Ben Fletcher, the organisation’s chief executive, the move has the potential to boost the UK’s economy by £5.1 billion1 annually:

“Our members have invested significant amounts of time and money to smooth the movement of fresh food across the UK’s borders, but trade friction has persisted as a result of the checks introduced after our country’s departure from the EU and so we welcome the negotiation of this agreement by Her Majesty’s Government,” he says. “Any border delays hinder our industry’s ability to keep the UK’s businesses trading with European customers and so today’s announcement is a common sense solution that acknowledges the challenges that we have faced since Brexit.

Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) checks were introduced as part of the UK’s deal with the EU to prove exported goods meet EU standards, and then later introduced by the UK on imports from the EU. Under the deal being negotiated, products moved from Great Britain into Northern Ireland would also no longer require additional certification, specialist labelling or routine inspections.

Fletcher added: “Our industry’s aim is always to deliver for our customers as swiftly and efficiently as possible. Today’s announcement will increase confidence over the removal of significant hurdles of cost and delays that have hamstrung our industry’s ability to support the UK’s fresh food producers to sell to their European customers, support UK jobs and help to drive growth nationwide. We will now work with the government to ensure that the new regime can be implemented as seamlessly as possible by mid-2027.”

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