The lack of certainty over the UK’s post-Brexit immigration policy has become a real headache for the country’s Food and Drink Federation, according to the group’s competitiveness director, Angela Coleshill.
According to the federation’s latest findings, 51% of employees in the UK’s food and drink processing sector are EU workers, who are currently able to work to the UK under EU free movement rights.
This figure rises to 60% in Scotland’s seafood processing sector, Coleshill said, although Wales, Cornwall and the North-east of England are all highly dependent on migrants for food and drink employment too.
The home office is very frustrated by the politicization of the immigration white paper, and how it’s constantly changing, said Coleshill. Businesses were told they would have 18 months to prepare but it’s still not certain yet.
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