EU FMCG businesses must make significant changes to the way they do business with the UK.
UK Importer of Record.
A registered UK company must take ownership of goods at the border.
This company will become legally responsible for products on UK soil, and will have to pay any import duty and/or VAT payable on import.
VAT can be reclaimed, but only by the owner of the goods.
Source: UK Government.
FBO Address.
From January 2024, a UK Food Business Operator address must appear on all UK labels of F&B produce on sale.
This must be either the name of the business whose name the food is marketed under or the address of the business that has imported the food. If the FBO is not in the UK, the address of the UK importer must be used.
Source: UK Government.
The Right Documentation.
Be it a GB-COI for organic imports and an organic-registered UK importer or a phytosanitary certificate with shipment, import procedures have changed and border checks are being implemented at scale.
Failure to supply the right documentation could see goods stopped at the border.
Source: UK Government.