Supermarket bosses and farmers unions warn Government a ‘hard Brexit’ would put food supplies in the UK at risk
Heads of major supermarket chains say that migrant workers and tariff-free access to the EU's Single Market are vital for the industry
SUPERMARKET bosses and farmers have pleaded with the Government not to adopt a hard Brexit - because they say it will put UK food supplies at risk.
Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer and the National Farmers' Union have said that migrant workers and tariff-free access to the EU's Single Market are vital for the industry.
, the group says the result of the EU referendum presents "challenges" for the UK food chain.
Collectively, the group represents businesses with a turnover of £92 billion, employing more than 925,000 people in the UK.
The group recognises that "Brexit can be beneficial... for the wider economy" but that access to labour and the Single Market is "essential" for their industry as 75% of exports go to the EU.
"For our sector, maintaining tariff-free access to the EU single market is vital," the letter says.
If Britain were to leave the EU's Single Market, it would gain control of its borders again as freedom of movement could be halted.
But it would also mean that the UK could be subject to tariffs on goods when trading with the bloc.
RELATED STORIES
"The sector needs access to EU and non-EU seasonal and permanent labour, alongside assurances that EU workers already working permanently in the UK are allowed to remain," the letter added.
Earlier this week EU officials slapped down Theresa May's calls for reassurances of the rights of millions of EU citizens to remain in Europe. Negotiators claim they cannot start talks about anything until Article 50 is triggered.
The letter adds: "this access to labour is essential as it underpins the UK food chain’s timely delivery of high-quality, affordable food to consumers.
"We urge the government to pursue both these goals, for the benefit of the whole of society and the economy."
A total of four farmer's unions from across the UK and 71 businesses put their names to the letter.
The warning follows calls from the UK's car industry yesterday to stay in the Single Market or risk punishing tariffs.
However, a leaked note held by a Tory aide outside Downing Street earlier this week said staying in the area would be hard to achieve.
But earlier today, the Brexit Secretary David Davis hinted that the UK could potentially pay to continue access EU markets.