Warning for supermarket shoppers ahead of the upcoming rule change in April

Prices on supermarket shelves are starting to slow their endless upward journey, with food costs stabilizing as inflation fell to 3.2 percent this month. But after more than two years of battling the steep cost of living, prices could soon start rising again.

New Brexit border controls on food imports from the European Union will come into force from the end of this month (April 30), almost eight years after the country originally voted to leave the EU. The implementation of border controls on food products has been repeatedly delayed since Britain left the trading bloc in 2020, amid fears it could drive up supermarket prices.

The first phase of post-Brexit border control was rolled out in January, with European importers required to put Export Health Certificates (EHC) on all food and animal products. Physical checks on food products will also begin from the end of this month, raising fears of border congestion and delays in supply chains.

READ MORE: Shoppers are tired of skyrocketing food costs, while prices in every supermarket are stagnant

Despite these fears, the government has said: “We remain committed to creating the most advanced border in the world.” But business leaders have remained skeptical about how border controls will work in practice.

William Bain, head of trade policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, told Reuters: “Will the government enforce by preventing material that does not have an electronic EHC from entering the GB border? Or does she let things in and then simply enforce them through contact with the companies involved afterwards? The government doesn’t tell us what they’re going to do.”

Many companies were only told that physical inspections would take place in early April, while many suppliers did not know how often shipments would be checked. But the government has remained adamant that the limit must be imposed to prevent the spread of pests and diseases.

“The goods that pose the highest biosecurity risk will be prioritized as we strive to achieve full control rates and high levels of compliance,” a UK government spokesperson said.

The final phase of the implementation of a goods border with the EU will come into effect in October.