There is currently an estimated 80% chance of the UK leaving the European Union without a trade deal
Negotiations are ongoing. And while Johnson continues to assure Britons that, whatever the outcome, “the UK is perfectly capable of handling it”, trade bodies are preparing for the contingency and people are starting to get seriously worried.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) urged people not to buy consumer goods en masse: “Retailers are doing all they can to prepare for the unexpected: increasing stocks of tinned food, toilet paper and other durable goods so that there is a substantial supply of essential goods,” the publication quotes Helen Dickinson, executive director of BRC. “While no amount of training by retail organisations can completely prevent problems, there is no need for residents to buy more food than usual.”
It is “very difficult to be prepared” for Britain’s exit from the EU, she said, as no one fully knows exactly which areas of activity are in store for the country