Food prices look set to rise in a no-deal Brexit , the government's planning chief Michael Gove has admitted.
The Cabinet Office minister has been forced to insist there will not be shortages of fresh food, saying: "Everyone will have the food they need."
But Mr Gove - who is in charge of planning for no-deal on October 31- admitted: "There are a number of economic factors in play.
"Some prices may go up. Other prices will come down.”
It comes after a leaked document from the government's Operation Yellowhammer predicted some supplies of fresh food will fall if the UK crashes out without a deal on Halloween .
The document said while there would not be an overall shortage of food, there would be less availability and choice, affecting vulnerable groups.
The government has already publicly warned school leaders they could have to substitute ingredients in pupils' dinners.
As a result, councils are bracing for school dinners to become more expensive, as well as the risk nutrition standards will be changed.
Pressed by the BBC today on whether there would be shortages of fresh food in no-deal, Mr Gove at first refused to answer.
Instead he said: "Everyone will have the food they need."
When asked for a second time by interviewer Andrew Marr, he said: "No, there will be no shortages of fresh food."
But Mr Gove's claims were blasted as "categorically untrue" by the British Retail Consortium.
A spokesman said: "It is categorically untrue that the supply of fresh food will be unaffected under a .
"The retail industry has been crystal clear in its communications with Government over the past 36 months that the availability of fresh foods will be impacted as a result of checks and delays at the border.
"Indeed, the Government’s own assessments showed that the flow of goods through the channel crossings could be reduced by 40-60% from day 1, as would the “availability and choice” of some foods.
"The BRC’s own assessment has shown that soft fruits and vegetables, such as strawberries, tomatoes and lettuces, would likely see reduced availability as they are largely imported during the winter months.
“While retailers continue to work with their suppliers to maintain stocks of non-perishable goods and plan ahead for any disruption caused by a no deal Brexit, it is impossible to mitigate it fully as neither retailers nor consumers can stockpile fresh foods.
"The reality remains that a no deal Brexit in October would present the worst of all worlds for our high streets and those who shop there. Retailers will be preparing for Christmas, stretching already limited warehousing capacity, and the UK will be importing the majority of its fresh food from the EU, magnifying the impact of border delays.”
It comes amid reports Mr Gove is planning to publish a heavily "watered-down" version of the original Yellowhammer warnings.
The document was presented to Cabinet ministers on around August 1, yet the Sunday Times reports officials are now making extensive changes to it before making it public.
A Westminster source told the newspaper: "This document is currently being neutralised, with all emotive language being stripped out."
Mr Gove today insisted the government's Yellowhammer documents were a "worst case scenario" and suggested Mr Marr was talking about "project fear".
He added in "every season... while some prices may rise, others may fall as well."
But the Food and Drink Federation has warned no-deal Brexit would "inflict serious and in some cases mortal damage on UK food and drink."
FDF chief executive Ian Wright warned last month: "Prices will rise, there will be significant shortages of some products, and disruption for shoppers and consumers will be far reaching."
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