Br-food-exit

This week the UK voted to leave or remain in the EU. And a Brexit was the result. What will this Brexit mean for the food in the UK? What will it mean for the farmers? Or for the food safety in the UK? Or the restaurants? 

What is it? 

After the referendum things will change in the UK, and so will its food industry. The rules for the agriculture will change in the UK. Immigration rules will change, and that effects the restaurants. Restaurants will no longer be able to hire foreign workers from for example Poland or Romania. These foreign workers are cheaper, so losing these foreign workers will result in higher costs for the restaurants. But this is only for the EU immigrants. The immigrants of non-EU countries, for example Asian countries, might find it easier to live and work in the UK. Before the Brexit restaurants in need of people from countries as India and Bangladesh had to close because they couldn't hire the staff they needed. Now that the UK leaves the EU, these rules will disappear, so people from non-EU countries can be hired without EU restrictions. 

A Brexit will change the UK agriculture, so why did so many farmers vote to leave? The farmers have a lot of EU rules they wanted to get rid of. Without the EU restrictions they can start using herbicides that now are forbidden in the EU. But is that a positive thing for the food safety? Probably not. Now that herbicides can be used food will be more contaminated and this might lead to health issues. Furthermore, trading food that is contaminated with herbicides with other countries might become more difficult, or even impossible because of the health standards in other countries. 

Also by leaving the EU, the subsidies for the UK farmers will come to an end. Farmers will notice this. Eventually this will probably lead to an increase in grocery prices. This will become even worse if the value of the pound decreases. Given the fact that the food industry is the UK’s most important industry, with an annual income of over 11 billion pounds, the effects will be huge.  

Why is it cool? 

This really isn’t cool. To my opinion this is the most stupid thing the UK could do. I can’t see the positive effects on the food industries by leaving the EU. Why would people choose for less food safety and higher grocery bills? The farmers will choose to produce more for less costs, which will affect the food safety in the UK. I think this is a big step backwards in societal health. Farmers are now choosing quantity over quality. I don’t think they will get anything positive out of the Brexit in the UK food industry. Because they will have more food which is less healthy and probably more difficult to trade. 

Future growth potential 

The Brexit will take shape in the next few years. After the Brexit is finished and the UK is officially out of the EU I think al of the problems mentioned above will get out of control. The UK will soon regret the Brexit, but then it will be too late.  

Trend 

The Brexit and its food consequences might fit in the trend Open world, because they think they are opening their world by leaving the EU. But I think they are closing their world.  

Quality of Life 

The Brexit affects all of the aspects of the Quality of Life model, but especially the social and material wellbeings.  

http://www.eater.com/2016/6/24/12023732/brexit-uk-food-restaurants 

http://m.foodingredientsfirst.com/news/Brexit-Vote-Leads-to-Immediate-Uncertainty-Over-Tariffs-Quotas-and-Farmers-Support.html 

http://www.nu.nl/tag/Brexit