Shopkeepers in the UK have begun to stockpile food, medicine and essentials on a massive scale. Writes about this The Sunday Times.
The businessmen took such a step against the background of the UK's probable exit from the EU “without a deal” (the transition period ends at the end of 2020). With such an outcome, an unprecedented consumer panic could begin on the island nation, which will overshadow the mass disappearance of goods from the shelves during quarantine due to coronavirus, the newspaper claims.
The Ministry of Health, in turn, ordered suppliers of drugs and medical equipment to stockpile six weeks in advance and store them in “safe places.”
On November 27, food producers and suppliers warned of food shortages the country could face in the near future. according to Bloomberg, the threat of food shortages is due to several reasons. Among them – the rush on the eve of Catholic Christmas, a lack of storage space, the coronavirus pandemic and the upcoming final exit from the European Union.
The UK officially left the European Union on 1 February. By the end of 2020, the parties agreed on a transitional period during which most of the EU laws will continue to operate in the United Kingdom, including trade rules. Before the end of the transition period, Brussels and London had to agree on the format of future relations and conclude a new trade agreement. However, in July 2020, the parties terminated regular negotiations ahead of schedule, as they could not come to an agreement on a number of issues. If they fail to reach an agreement by the end of December, the UK will cease to be part of the common European market, which will lead to the introduction of customs borders between the country and the EU.
