Good article in the Guardian today: www.theguardian.com/business/2016/oct/10/prices-will-shoot-up-if-uk-fails-to-get-eu-single-market-access-retailers-warn
And by the BBC: www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37605642
Retailers are already facing rising costs that may have to be passed on to consumers because of the pound’s sharp fall since the Brexit vote, which has raised the price of imports.
This is already happening. As a retailer (small UK-based business importing goods from other EU countries), we haven't had to put up our prices yet as our suppliers' UK price lists for this season were fixed before the Referendum, so before Sterling started to plummet (13% already and bigger falls predicted). But we already know that we will have to put up our prices by at least 20% for next year as our suppliers have now adjusted their UK price lists to reflect expected future currency exchange rates.
The cost of living in the UK is about to increase A LOT as we import most things. Food, clothing and fuel will become a lot more expensive in the next few years, because of the devaluation of the pound. The only winners will be exporters who actually manufacture goods in the UK, from UK raw materials - but there aren't many of those left.
And if we actually leave the Single Market, which is looking increasingly likely, then we'll be facing import tariffs on most goods too, which will further push up prices. And the British Farmers' Union warned before the Referendum that Brexit would cause increased prices of British produced food due to loss of EU subsidies.
But at least we're taking back control, right?