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Traders struggle with post-Brexit measures, says ParcelHero

[ February 15, 2021   //   ]

One in three UK importers are struggling at borders and Northern Ireland trade is collapsing, says ParcelHero

The parcels broker quoted the latest Office for National Statistics  (ONS) report which, said ParcelHero, showed that businesses are reporting spiralling Brexit challenges while dDoubt has been cast on the viability of the Northern Ireland protocol. Transport costs, border disruption and customs duties problems soared in the two-week period between 24 January and 7 February, it said.

ParcelHero said that 35% of businesses experienced importing challenges because of disruption at the UK borders, up from 25% in the previous two weeks. Similarly, 25% of exporters recorded disruption at borders, compared to 19% reporting disruption in the preceding fortnight.

A third of businesses experienced a rise in transportation costs, along with 30% of importers.

Some 26% of businesses experienced exporting challenges because of customs duties or levies, up from 16% in the previous two-week period. Likewise, 26% experienced importing challenges because of customs fees in the fortnight between 25 January – 7 February, compared to 16% in the preceding two weeks.

ParcelHero adds the escalating problems experienced by those shipping goods to Ulster could lead to the Northern Ireland Protocol is unraveling entirely if these trends continue.

Some 44% of retailers and wholesalers reported the volume of goods they shipped to Northern Ireland decreased in the latest two-week period, compared to the previous fortnight while  31.5% of manufacturers reported their export volumes to Northern Ireland fell during the latest period.

The problems would escalate when a waiver on customs declarations on parcels sent from the rest of the UK to Northern Ireland runs out on 31 March, and certification requirements ramp-up on supermarket goods in April. ParcelHero says that the Government urgently needs to renegotiate these deadlines with the EU.

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