Supermarkets in the UK are stockpiling food due to the threat of food shortages which many feel may come with a no-deal Brexit.
Tesco boss John Allan warned on Wednesday (December 9) that it was hoarding non-fresh food as it prepared for “the worst-case scenario”.
He made his comments ahead of make-or-break talks in Brussels between the PM and the European Union.
Boris Johnson jetted off to meet with Ursula Von Der Leyen of the EU today to try and force a last-minute deal after accusing the EU of insisting on terms “no prime minister could accept”.
Without a deal, the UK lapses onto damaging World Trade Organisation terms after December 31, reports MirrorOnline.
That position has the possibility of imposing quotas and tariffs which could drive up the prices food, medicines and more.
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The PM told the Commons “a good deal is still there to be done” before he left for Brussels on Wednesday evening.
Mr Johnson added that the EU was seeking an “automatic right” to retaliate against the UK if its standards diverged from theirs, and suggested Brussels could reject the UK having sovereign control over its fishing waters.
The Tesco chairman earlier warned that leaving the bloc without a trade deal could mean empty shelves and price rises in supermarkets.
He said: “We are trying to ensure that we have stockpiled as much as we can of non-live product either in our own warehouses or with our suppliers.
“If we leave on a no-deal basis there will be tariffs, and those tariffs can be quite substantial on some food items.”
Busy ports like Dover, Felixstowe and Southampton could face severe delays caused by a surge in imports and complex new border checks, with rising distribution costs could be passed on to UK consumers.
But Mr Allan claimed any gaps on shelves would be temporary and issued a warning against panic buying.
“We may see some shortages of fresh foods, particularly short-life fresh foods,” he said.
“I think that will only be for a limited period, perhaps a month or two, before we get back to normal.
“I don’t think there is any reason at all for any consumer to panic or panic buy at the moment.
“There is still going to be plenty of food in the UK – there may just be slightly restricted choice for a period of time.”
Analysts believe food prices could go up an average 3-5%, while tariffs on imported dairy products like French cheeses could be as high as 40%.
The EU has agreed to allow Tesco and other supermarkets in Northern Ireland to continue supplying shops without special Brexit checks.
Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer, Asda and other trusted traders would be given a six-month grace period before the checks were required.
It means sausages, burgers and cheeses would not need to examined individually at ports.
