I work for a U.K. based food manufacturer - all of our production is in the U.K., all of our staff are here too. We pay well above the living wage to all of our employees, and are very active in the communities in which we are based.
We are looking at average inflation next year on our ingredients of 18% which is just mind blowing. Huge logistics issues have smashed us this year, we just can’t get our stuff delivered to customers as there aren’t enough drivers. There are huge shortages in very significant ingredients and packaging materials. We are big, and will stay afloat, but god the impact is absolutely huge. In the end the consequence of this will have to be higher prices to consumers (definitely) and - over time - job losses I would imagine. And less tax paid.
There are various reasons for all of the above (like the recent fire impacting natural gas supply, the introduction of IR35 leading to drivers changing jobs etc). However without doubt the biggest overall reason is Brexit. This has led to the cost of goods and other raw materials going up, delays and complexities in arrivals of goods, less drivers (and no, British people don’t want the job even when paid more - they have taken it and given up after two weeks as it’s too hard), increased costs and timing of exports. The list is endless.
And honestly, I worked on our Brexit planning team. There has not been one single benefit to us as a result of Brexit. Not one. We have spent hundreds of thousands of pounds just to keep up (for example having to change all our labels) with not a single benefit.
It’s the definition of commercial insanity.