- Food businesses will save time and up to £200 per shipment
when trading fresh food, helping to reduce pressure on prices
- Economic Secretary is in Runcorn today
visiting Lidl GB's distribution hub, welcoming their £435
million warehouse investment and over 500 new jobs - a clear
vote of confidence in the Government's Plan for Change
Working families in the North West will benefit from a new UK-EU
food deal which will slash red tape and costs for food
businesses, helping them to keep the cost of weekly shop down and
create more choice at the checkout.
The agreement will get rid of the majority of border checks on
meat, fish, fruit and veg imported from the EU, meaning
businesses can slash costs and help keep the price of a weekly
shop down - leaving more hard-earned money in people's pockets.
Economic Secretary to the Treasury, , is today (27 August)
visiting Lidl GB's Runcorn distribution centre for a
behind-the-scenes look at how products reach shelves across the
UK.
Businesses which trade with the EU, including supermarket Lidl
GB, support the new Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement.
They are set to benefit from changes which including reducing
physical checks on tomatoes, grapes, peppers and other fruits,
making it quicker and cheaper to trade while maintaining high
safety standards.
Economic Secretary to the Treasury, said
Working in partnership with business to kickstart economic growth
and put money in people's pockets is exactly what our Plan for
Change is about.
Our trade deal with the EU will deliver for families and
businesses across the North West with lower food import costs and
reduced red tape, while Lidl GB's investment shows that
international companies are backing Britain and our mission to
drive growth across every region.
The agreement will kickstart economic growth, and could add £5.1
billion annually to the UK economy, with North West food
businesses and consumers set to reap significant gains. Small and
medium-sized food businesses across the region will particularly
benefit from the removal of Export Health Certificates, saving
businesses up to £200 each time goods are sent, meaning a single
lorry carrying a mixed load of agrifood products reducing
pressure on food prices for shoppers.
The Economic Secretary will also welcome Lidl GB's announcement
of a £435 million investment in upgrading its warehouses in Leeds
and London which will create over 500 new jobs and strengthen
Lidl GB's capacity to supply affordable, quality food across the
country.
The government is delivering a long-term strategic partnership
with the EU that brings practical benefit for working people. The
Sanitary Phytosanitary (‘SPS') agreement negotiations are a clear
example of how the government will use this partnership to boost
growth and support working families and ensures the UK remains a
trusted, reliable partner for international business investment.
The agreement will also make it easier to move goods across the
Irish Sea, making it less burdensome for businesses to move
agrifood goods supporting the North West's role as a key gateway
for trade with both the EU and Northern Ireland.
, Chief Real Estate Officer
at Lidl GB said:
We're proud to play our role in driving economic growth, while
continuing to establish an infrastructure that delivers
sustainable growth for our ambitious expansion plans. But these
investments are not just about logistics. The updates today also
represent an investment in our mission to make good food
accessible to households across the country.
