🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 162 (from laksa122)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa162.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/article/what-brexit-means-for-us-food-businesses/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/article/what-brexit-means-for-us-food-businesses/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/article\/what-brexit-means-for-us-food-businesses\/","crawl_time":1775508562,"first_indexed_time":1612948801,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,qualityassurancemag!www,\/article\/what-brexit-means-for-us-food-businesses\/ s443","src_root_hash":"5496139329762549362","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"What Brexit Means for U.S. Food Businesses - Quality Assurance & Food Safety","meta_descriptions":["The United Kingdom’s exit gives companies here a chance to have more visibility in the country’s market."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"On Christmas Eve, just a few days before the Dec. 31 deadline, the European Union and the United Kingdom finally struck a deal on Brexit, the yearslong plan for the country to leave the EU. The agreement is mainly focused on circulation of goods and leaves out important aspects such as data sharing or professional services.\nThis last-minute act marked the end of the transition period, which started in January 2020. The exit of the U.K. from the EU is complete, and that will have consequences on U.S. food businesses.\nStarting Jan. 1, 2021, producers that have been using the U.K. as an entry point to the EU common market have had to choose an importer based in one of the other 27 EU member states. For the most part, import rules will be the same regardless of the new point of entry. However, for some products, the EU country of choice might make a difference.\n“Each country may have different requirements on specific products,” said food lawyer and consultant Cesare Varallo. “In the past, for example, many U.S. supplement producers would choose to access the EU market through the U.K. because there were fewer requirements.”\nBut, the EU is no longer an entry point for the U.K. market.\nThe exit of the U.K. also changes labeling requirements for food products that need to indicate the origin. Food from the U.K. must not be labelled as “origin: EU.” For products exported to the U.K., the “origin: non-EU” indication has to be replaced by “origin: non-U.K.” It is also mandatory to have a U.K. business name and address on the pack for all domestic and imported food. These provisions, however, don’t apply to Northern Ireland, which remains aligned to some of the EU rules for at least four years.\nIn the longer term, the consequences of Brexit on U.S. food producers are more difficult to predict, as they depend on many variables.\nOne of the priorities of the U.K. in the post-exit period will likely be to reduce its dependence on the EU, which provides 26% of its food. Even with a trade agreement in place, the reliance on EU imports is expected to increase food prices in the U.K. due to additional administrative costs. The London School of Economics estimated prices will rise between 4% for unbranded and more substitutable products, and 9.9% for branded and specialty products.\nSuch an increase will be unsustainable for many households, especially in the current recession caused by the pandemic. The need to keep food prices down will therefore push the U.K. to diversify its provisions by striking separate agreements with other countries.\nThat is good news for the U.S., which currently only accounts for 4% of U.K. food imports.\nIn fact, negotiations for a U.K.-U.S. agreement started in May 2020. The concern of trade organizations is that a future U.K.-U.S. deal may open the U.K. market to cheaper food produced with quality and safety standards that are considered to be lower.\nThe most frequent examples are the use of growth hormones in beef and the treatment of chicken carcasses with chlorine. These practices are banned in the EU and will likely remain banned in the U.K., at least for the time being.\nThat, however, may change if the U.K. and the U.S. strike an equivalence agreement. Generally, commercial deals between countries fall into one of three categories, according to Varallo.\n“The simplest ones only include tariffs and leave out standards,” he said. “While the most complex types aim to harmonize them too. Equivalence agreements are somewhere in between. Each party’s standards are mutually recognized, regardless of their differences.”\nSuch a scenario would drive food prices down but would have to face the fierce opposition of U.K. food producers and retailers. In 2020, several supermarket chains, including Aldi, Marks & Spenser and Sainsbury’s pledged not to sell chlorinated chicken or hormone-injected beef.\nA possible alternative for the U.K. would be to introduce certain food safety practices that were banned when it was part of the EU. That would allow internal producers to compete with imported food, but at the same time it would create distrust among the rest of European consumers, damaging U.K. food exports to the EU common market. There are complex choices ahead for the U.K. government, partly because the food sector is complex.\n“The Brexiteers’ idea of making the U.K. a European free trade zone and strike better agreements might work in other sectors,” said Varallo. “But with food, it’s much more complicated.”","attrs_markdown":"[![Quality Assurance & Food Safety](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/remote\/aHR0cHM6Ly9naWVjZG4uYmxvYi5jb3JlLndpbmRvd3MubmV0L2ZpbGV1cGxvYWRzL3NpdGVsb2dvcy9xYS13aGl0ZS5wbmc._aSnyOlD9ks.png?format=webp)](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/)\n\n[Subscribe](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/subscribe\/?campaignCode=WEBHEADER)\n\n- [Home](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/)\n- [News](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/article\/what-brexit-means-for-us-food-businesses\/)\n  - [Latest](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/news\/)\n  - [Regulation](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/tag\/regulation\/)\n  - [Recalls](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/tag\/recalls\/)\n  - 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International Perspectives\n# What Brexit Means for U.S. Food Businesses\nThe United Kingdom’s exit gives companies here a chance to have more visibility in the country’s market.\n\n[Andrea Tolu](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/author\/andreatolu\/)\n\nPublished February 08, 2021\n\n![](http:\/\/publisher.gie.net\/fileuploads\/publications\/29\/issues\/103817\/articles\/images\/Andrea_Tolu_International_Perspectives_digital_bio_fmt.png)\n\nOn Christmas Eve, just a few days before the Dec. 31 deadline, the European Union and the United Kingdom finally struck a deal on Brexit, the yearslong plan for the country to leave the EU. The agreement is mainly focused on circulation of goods and leaves out important aspects such as data sharing or professional services.\n\nThis last-minute act marked the end of the transition period, which started in January 2020. The exit of the U.K. from the EU is complete, and that will have consequences on U.S. food businesses.\n\nStarting Jan. 1, 2021, producers that have been using the U.K. as an entry point to the EU common market have had to choose an importer based in one of the other 27 EU member states. For the most part, import rules will be the same regardless of the new point of entry. However, for some products, the EU country of choice might make a difference.\n\n“Each country may have different requirements on specific products,” said food lawyer and consultant Cesare Varallo. “In the past, for example, many U.S. supplement producers would choose to access the EU market through the U.K. because there were fewer requirements.”\n\nBut, the EU is no longer an entry point for the U.K. market.\n\nThe exit of the U.K. also changes labeling requirements for food products that need to indicate the origin. Food from the U.K. must not be labelled as “origin: EU.” For products exported to the U.K., the “origin: non-EU” indication has to be replaced by “origin: non-U.K.” It is also mandatory to have a U.K. business name and address on the pack for all domestic and imported food. These provisions, however, don’t apply to Northern Ireland, which remains aligned to some of the EU rules for at least four years.\n\nIn the longer term, the consequences of Brexit on U.S. food producers are more difficult to predict, as they depend on many variables.\n\nOne of the priorities of the U.K. in the post-exit period will likely be to reduce its dependence on the EU, which provides 26% of its food. Even with a trade agreement in place, the reliance on EU imports is expected to increase food prices in the U.K. due to additional administrative costs. The London School of Economics estimated prices will rise between 4% for unbranded and more substitutable products, and 9.9% for branded and specialty products.\n\nSuch an increase will be unsustainable for many households, especially in the current recession caused by the pandemic. The need to keep food prices down will therefore push the U.K. to diversify its provisions by striking separate agreements with other countries.\n\nThat is good news for the U.S., which currently only accounts for 4% of U.K. food imports.\n\nIn fact, negotiations for a U.K.-U.S. agreement started in May 2020. The concern of trade organizations is that a future U.K.-U.S. deal may open the U.K. market to cheaper food produced with quality and safety standards that are considered to be lower.\n\nThe most frequent examples are the use of growth hormones in beef and the treatment of chicken carcasses with chlorine. These practices are banned in the EU and will likely remain banned in the U.K., at least for the time being.\n\nThat, however, may change if the U.K. and the U.S. strike an equivalence agreement. Generally, commercial deals between countries fall into one of three categories, according to Varallo.\n\n“The simplest ones only include tariffs and leave out standards,” he said. “While the most complex types aim to harmonize them too. Equivalence agreements are somewhere in between. Each party’s standards are mutually recognized, regardless of their differences.”\n\nSuch a scenario would drive food prices down but would have to face the fierce opposition of U.K. food producers and retailers. In 2020, several supermarket chains, including Aldi, Marks & Spenser and Sainsbury’s pledged not to sell chlorinated chicken or hormone-injected beef.\n\nA possible alternative for the U.K. would be to introduce certain food safety practices that were banned when it was part of the EU. That would allow internal producers to compete with imported food, but at the same time it would create distrust among the rest of European consumers, damaging U.K. food exports to the EU common market. There are complex choices ahead for the U.K. government, partly because the food sector is complex.\n\n“The Brexiteers’ idea of making the U.K. a European free trade zone and strike better agreements might work in other sectors,” said Varallo. “But with food, it’s much more complicated.”\n\n1. [International](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/tag\/international)\n2. [Food Safety Culture](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/tag\/food-safety-culture)\n3. [Supply Chain](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/tag\/supply-chain)\n4. [Trends](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/tag\/trends)\n\nRead Next\n\n## [Amazon is Delivering Food Safety](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/article\/delivering-food-safety\/)\n\n![January February 2021](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/remote\/aHR0cHM6Ly9naWVjZG4uYmxvYi5jb3JlLndpbmRvd3MubmV0L2ZpbGV1cGxvYWRzL3B1YmxpY2F0aW9ucy8yOS9pc3N1ZXMvMTAzODE3L2phbmZlYiAyMDIxY292ZXJkaWdpdGFsLmpwZw.cb9lw2OCRv4.jpg?format=webp)\n\n##### Explore the January February 2021 Issue\nCheck out more from this issue and find your next story to read.\n\n[View More](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/magazine\/january-february-2021)\n\n#### Latest from Quality Assurance & Food Safety\n- [Veronica Wong Joins FSIS Office of Food Safety as Chief of Staff](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/news\/veronica-wong-joins-fsis-office-of-food-safety-chief-of-staff\/)\n- [Raw Farm Recalls Raw Cheddar Cheese Linked to E. Coli Outbreak ‘Under Protest’](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/news\/raw-farm-recalls-raw-cheddar-cheese-linked-to-e-coli-outbreak-under-protest\/)\n- [Organics Recycling Conference 2026: Q\\&A with keynote speaker Andy McNeill](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/news\/organics-recyclying-conference-q-and-a-with-keynote-speaker-andy-mcneill\/)\n- [Richard Carlson, VP of Global Food Safety and Quality at Hormel Foods, Retires](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/news\/richard-carlson-vp-global-food-safety-quality-hormel-foods-retires\/)\n- [Caraway Tea Highlights Certification Considerations in Functional Tea Manufacturing](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/news\/caraway-tea-highlights-certification-considerations-functional-tea-manufacturing\/)\n- [Eagle Product Inspection Enhances Dual Energy X-ray Technology](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/news\/eagle-product-inspection-enhances-dual-energy-x-ray-technology\/)\n- [Nelson-Jameson Expands Culture Storage and Logistics Capabilities at Pennsylvania Facility](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/news\/nelson-jameson-expands-culture-storage-logistics-capabilities-pennsylvania-facility\/)\n- [FDA Urges Recall as Illnesses Rise in Raw Cheese E. Coli Outbreak](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/news\/fda-urges-recall-illnesses-rise-raw-cheese-e-coli-outbreak-raw-farm\/)\n\n#### More from Quality Assurance & Food Safety\n[![](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/remote\/aHR0cHM6Ly9naWVjZG4uYmxvYi5jb3JlLndpbmRvd3MubmV0L2ZpbGV1cGxvYWRzL2ltYWdlLzIwMjYvMDQvMDIvdG9kZHJlZWQucG5n.-_LwaIq5D2Q.png?format=webp)](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/news\/fsis-appoints-acting-deputy-administrator-for-science-and-policy\/)\n\n### [FSIS Appoints Acting Deputy Administrator for Science and Policy](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/news\/fsis-appoints-acting-deputy-administrator-for-science-and-policy\/)\n\n[![](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/remote\/aHR0cHM6Ly9naWVjZG4uYmxvYi5jb3JlLndpbmRvd3MubmV0L2ZpbGV1cGxvYWRzL2ltYWdlLzIwMjYvMDQvMDIvcm9ja2Zpc2gucG5n.GsfHpfvd0uU.png?format=webp)](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/news\/fda-weighs-snapper-as-market-name-certain-rockfish-species\/)\n\n### [FDA Weighs ‘Snapper’ as Market Name for Certain Rockfish Species](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/news\/fda-weighs-snapper-as-market-name-certain-rockfish-species\/)\n\n[![](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/remote\/aHR0cHM6Ly9naWVjZG4uYmxvYi5jb3JlLndpbmRvd3MubmV0L2ZpbGV1cGxvYWRzL2ltYWdlLzIwMjYvMDQvMDEvc3ByaW5nbWVhbC5wbmc.txM5jiaVTh4.png?format=webp)](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/news\/usda-shares-food-safety-steps-spring-holiday-meals\/)\n\n### [USDA Shares Food Safety Steps for Spring Holiday Meals](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/news\/usda-shares-food-safety-steps-spring-holiday-meals\/)\n\n[![](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/remote\/aHR0cHM6Ly9naWVjZG4uYmxvYi5jb3JlLndpbmRvd3MubmV0L2ZpbGV1cGxvYWRzL2ltYWdlLzIwMjYvMDQvMDEvZmRhLnBuZw.i5L2IuEvedM.png?format=webp)](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/news\/ifsac-releases-annual-report-2023-sources-of-foodborne-illness\/)\n\n### [IFSAC Releases Annual Report for 2023 on Sources of Foodborne Illness](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/news\/ifsac-releases-annual-report-2023-sources-of-foodborne-illness\/)\n\n[![](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/remote\/aHR0cHM6Ly9naWVjZG4uYmxvYi5jb3JlLndpbmRvd3MubmV0L2ZpbGV1cGxvYWRzL2ltYWdlLzIwMjYvMDMvMjUvYnJlbmRhbi1wbGF5LWJ1dHRvbi5qcGc.4N8sfso1VOo.jpg?format=webp)](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/media\/brendan-niemira-breaks-down-gras-and-what-comes-next\/)\n\n### [Brendan Niemira Breaks Down GRAS and What Comes Next](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/media\/brendan-niemira-breaks-down-gras-and-what-comes-next\/)\n\n[![](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/remote\/aHR0cHM6Ly9naWVjZG4uYmxvYi5jb3JlLndpbmRvd3MubmV0L2ZpbGV1cGxvYWRzL2ltYWdlLzIwMjYvMDMvMjUvOTQ4LmpwZw.-a95kLFfpbc.jpg?format=webp)](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/news\/gras-under-scrutiny-brendan-niemira-on-fda-oversight-and-what-comes-next\/)\n\n### [GRAS Under Scrutiny: Brendan Niemira on FDA Oversight and What Comes Next](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/news\/gras-under-scrutiny-brendan-niemira-on-fda-oversight-and-what-comes-next\/)\n\n#### More from this author\n- ### [The Anti-Cultivated Meat Coalition in the EU](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/article\/the-anti-cultivated-meat-coalition-in-the-eu\/ \"The Anti-Cultivated Meat Coalition in the EU\")\n- ### [Inside the Ukrainian Grain Dispute](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/article\/inside-the-ukrainian-grain-dispute\/ \"Inside the Ukrainian Grain Dispute\")\n- ### [Warning Labels on Alcohol Are Causing a Rift in the EU](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/article\/warning-labels-on-alcohol-are-causing-a-rift-in-the-eu\/ \"Warning Labels on Alcohol Are Causing a Rift in the EU\")\n- ### [The Never-Ending Dispute Around Growth Enhancers](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/article\/the-never-ending-dispute-around-growth-enhancers\/ \"The Never-Ending Dispute Around Growth Enhancers\")\n- ### [Food Safety During Times of Crisis](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/article\/food-safety-during-times-of-crisis\/ \"Food Safety During Times of Crisis\")\n- ### [Front-of-Package Labeling Coming to EU](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/article\/front-of-package--labeling-coming-to-eu\/ \"Front-of-Package Labeling Coming to EU\")\n\n- [![Quality Assurance & Food Safety](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/remote\/aHR0cHM6Ly9naWVjZG4uYmxvYi5jb3JlLndpbmRvd3MubmV0L2ZpbGV1cGxvYWRzL2ltYWdlL2xvZ29zL3NpdGUtbG9nb3MvcWEucG5n.86dYla3itfM.png?format=webp)](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/)\n- [Subscribe](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/subscribe\/?campaignCode=WEBNAV)\n- [Contact Us](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/contact\/)\n- [Advertise](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/contact\/?department=Sales)\n- [Media Kit](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/form\/qa-media-kit)\n- [Terms and Conditions](https:\/\/www.qualityassurancemag.com\/terms-and-conditions\/)\n\n© 2026 GIE Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.","attrs_readable_markdown":"![](http:\/\/publisher.gie.net\/fileuploads\/publications\/29\/issues\/103817\/articles\/images\/Andrea_Tolu_International_Perspectives_digital_bio_fmt.png)\n\nOn Christmas Eve, just a few days before the Dec. 31 deadline, the European Union and the United Kingdom finally struck a deal on Brexit, the yearslong plan for the country to leave the EU. The agreement is mainly focused on circulation of goods and leaves out important aspects such as data sharing or professional services.\n\nThis last-minute act marked the end of the transition period, which started in January 2020. The exit of the U.K. from the EU is complete, and that will have consequences on U.S. food businesses.\n\nStarting Jan. 1, 2021, producers that have been using the U.K. as an entry point to the EU common market have had to choose an importer based in one of the other 27 EU member states. For the most part, import rules will be the same regardless of the new point of entry. However, for some products, the EU country of choice might make a difference.\n\n“Each country may have different requirements on specific products,” said food lawyer and consultant Cesare Varallo. “In the past, for example, many U.S. supplement producers would choose to access the EU market through the U.K. because there were fewer requirements.”\n\nBut, the EU is no longer an entry point for the U.K. market.\n\nThe exit of the U.K. also changes labeling requirements for food products that need to indicate the origin. Food from the U.K. must not be labelled as “origin: EU.” For products exported to the U.K., the “origin: non-EU” indication has to be replaced by “origin: non-U.K.” It is also mandatory to have a U.K. business name and address on the pack for all domestic and imported food. These provisions, however, don’t apply to Northern Ireland, which remains aligned to some of the EU rules for at least four years.\n\nIn the longer term, the consequences of Brexit on U.S. food producers are more difficult to predict, as they depend on many variables.\n\nOne of the priorities of the U.K. in the post-exit period will likely be to reduce its dependence on the EU, which provides 26% of its food. Even with a trade agreement in place, the reliance on EU imports is expected to increase food prices in the U.K. due to additional administrative costs. The London School of Economics estimated prices will rise between 4% for unbranded and more substitutable products, and 9.9% for branded and specialty products.\n\nSuch an increase will be unsustainable for many households, especially in the current recession caused by the pandemic. The need to keep food prices down will therefore push the U.K. to diversify its provisions by striking separate agreements with other countries.\n\nThat is good news for the U.S., which currently only accounts for 4% of U.K. food imports.\n\nIn fact, negotiations for a U.K.-U.S. agreement started in May 2020. The concern of trade organizations is that a future U.K.-U.S. deal may open the U.K. market to cheaper food produced with quality and safety standards that are considered to be lower.\n\nThe most frequent examples are the use of growth hormones in beef and the treatment of chicken carcasses with chlorine. These practices are banned in the EU and will likely remain banned in the U.K., at least for the time being.\n\nThat, however, may change if the U.K. and the U.S. strike an equivalence agreement. Generally, commercial deals between countries fall into one of three categories, according to Varallo.\n\n“The simplest ones only include tariffs and leave out standards,” he said. “While the most complex types aim to harmonize them too. Equivalence agreements are somewhere in between. Each party’s standards are mutually recognized, regardless of their differences.”\n\nSuch a scenario would drive food prices down but would have to face the fierce opposition of U.K. food producers and retailers. In 2020, several supermarket chains, including Aldi, Marks & Spenser and Sainsbury’s pledged not to sell chlorinated chicken or hormone-injected beef.\n\nA possible alternative for the U.K. would be to introduce certain food safety practices that were banned when it was part of the EU. That would allow internal producers to compete with imported food, but at the same time it would create distrust among the rest of European consumers, damaging U.K. food exports to the EU common market. There are complex choices ahead for the U.K. government, partly because the food sector is complex.\n\n“The Brexiteers’ idea of making the U.K. a European free trade zone and strike better agreements might work in other sectors,” said Varallo. “But with food, it’s much more complicated.”","meta_canonical":null}

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Meta Title	What Brexit Means for U.S. Food Businesses - Quality Assurance & Food Safety
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Boilerpipe Text	On Christmas Eve, just a few days before the Dec. 31 deadline, the European Union and the United Kingdom finally struck a deal on Brexit, the yearslong plan for the country to leave the EU. The agreement is mainly focused on circulation of goods and leaves out important aspects such as data sharing or professional services. This last-minute act marked the end of the transition period, which started in January 2020. The exit of the U.K. from the EU is complete, and that will have consequences on U.S. food businesses. Starting Jan. 1, 2021, producers that have been using the U.K. as an entry point to the EU common market have had to choose an importer based in one of the other 27 EU member states. For the most part, import rules will be the same regardless of the new point of entry. However, for some products, the EU country of choice might make a difference. “Each country may have different requirements on specific products,” said food lawyer and consultant Cesare Varallo. “In the past, for example, many U.S. supplement producers would choose to access the EU market through the U.K. because there were fewer requirements.” But, the EU is no longer an entry point for the U.K. market. The exit of the U.K. also changes labeling requirements for food products that need to indicate the origin. Food from the U.K. must not be labelled as “origin: EU.” For products exported to the U.K., the “origin: non-EU” indication has to be replaced by “origin: non-U.K.” It is also mandatory to have a U.K. business name and address on the pack for all domestic and imported food. These provisions, however, don’t apply to Northern Ireland, which remains aligned to some of the EU rules for at least four years. In the longer term, the consequences of Brexit on U.S. food producers are more difficult to predict, as they depend on many variables. One of the priorities of the U.K. in the post-exit period will likely be to reduce its dependence on the EU, which provides 26% of its food. Even with a trade agreement in place, the reliance on EU imports is expected to increase food prices in the U.K. due to additional administrative costs. The London School of Economics estimated prices will rise between 4% for unbranded and more substitutable products, and 9.9% for branded and specialty products. Such an increase will be unsustainable for many households, especially in the current recession caused by the pandemic. The need to keep food prices down will therefore push the U.K. to diversify its provisions by striking separate agreements with other countries. That is good news for the U.S., which currently only accounts for 4% of U.K. food imports. In fact, negotiations for a U.K.-U.S. agreement started in May 2020. The concern of trade organizations is that a future U.K.-U.S. deal may open the U.K. market to cheaper food produced with quality and safety standards that are considered to be lower. The most frequent examples are the use of growth hormones in beef and the treatment of chicken carcasses with chlorine. These practices are banned in the EU and will likely remain banned in the U.K., at least for the time being. That, however, may change if the U.K. and the U.S. strike an equivalence agreement. Generally, commercial deals between countries fall into one of three categories, according to Varallo. “The simplest ones only include tariffs and leave out standards,” he said. “While the most complex types aim to harmonize them too. Equivalence agreements are somewhere in between. Each party’s standards are mutually recognized, regardless of their differences.” Such a scenario would drive food prices down but would have to face the fierce opposition of U.K. food producers and retailers. In 2020, several supermarket chains, including Aldi, Marks & Spenser and Sainsbury’s pledged not to sell chlorinated chicken or hormone-injected beef. A possible alternative for the U.K. would be to introduce certain food safety practices that were banned when it was part of the EU. That would allow internal producers to compete with imported food, but at the same time it would create distrust among the rest of European consumers, damaging U.K. food exports to the EU common market. There are complex choices ahead for the U.K. government, partly because the food sector is complex. “The Brexiteers’ idea of making the U.K. a European free trade zone and strike better agreements might work in other sectors,” said Varallo. “But with food, it’s much more complicated.”
Markdown	[![Quality Assurance & Food Safety](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/remote/aHR0cHM6Ly9naWVjZG4uYmxvYi5jb3JlLndpbmRvd3MubmV0L2ZpbGV1cGxvYWRzL3NpdGVsb2dvcy9xYS13aGl0ZS5wbmc._aSnyOlD9ks.png?format=webp)](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/) [Subscribe](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/subscribe/?campaignCode=WEBHEADER) - [Home](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/) - [News](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/article/what-brexit-means-for-us-food-businesses/) - [Latest](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/news/) - [Regulation](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/regulation/) - [Recalls](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/recalls/) - [Supplier News](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/suppliers/) - [People](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/people/) - [Technology](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/technology/) - [Research](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/research/) - [Magazine](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/article/what-brexit-means-for-us-food-businesses/) - [Issues](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/magazine/) - [Subscribe](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/subscribe/?campaignCode=WEBNAV) - [Advertise](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/contact/?department=Sales) - [Customer Service](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/contact/?department=Subscriptions) - [Newsletter](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/subscribe/newsletters/?campaignCode=WEBNAV) - [Resources](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/article/what-brexit-means-for-us-food-businesses/) - [Allergens](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/allergens/) - [Sanitation](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/sanitation/) - [Hygiene](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/hygiene/) - [Food Safety Culture](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/food-safety-culture/) - [Food Defense](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/food-defense/) - [Food Fraud](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/food-fraud/) - [Foreign Object Detection](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/foreign-object-detection/) - [Supply Chain](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/supply-chain/) - [Equipment](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/equipment/) - [Whitepapers](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/whitepapers/) - [Labeling](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/labeling/) - [Pest Management](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/pest-management/) - [Plant Management](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/plant-management/) - [Consumer Perspectives](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/consumer-perspective/) - [Media](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/article/what-brexit-means-for-us-food-businesses/) - [Videos](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/video/) - [Webinars](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/webinars/) - [Virtual Conferences](https://events.qualityassurancemag.com/) - [Industry Research](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/article/what-brexit-means-for-us-food-businesses/) - [Cockroaches](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/cockroaches/) - [Rodents](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/rodents/) - [Employee Hygiene](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/employee-hygiene/) - [The Pulse](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/polls/) - [Events](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/events/) - [Products](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/products/) - [QA Advisory Board](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/page/advisoryboard/) - [Related Publications](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/article/what-brexit-means-for-us-food-businesses/) - [PCT](https://www.pctonline.com/) - [Cannabis Business Times](https://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/) - [Produce Grower](https://www.producegrower.com/) - [Greenhouse Management](https://www.greenhousemag.com/) - [Garden Center](https://www.gardencentermag.com/) - [Nursery Management](https://www.nurserymag.com/) - [Contact Us](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/article/what-brexit-means-for-us-food-businesses/) - [Editorial Staff](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/contact/?department=Editorial) - [Sales](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/contact/?department=Sales) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/privacy-policy/) - [Terms of Use](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/terms-of-use/) - [About Us](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/page/about-us/) 1. International Perspectives # What Brexit Means for U.S. Food Businesses The United Kingdom’s exit gives companies here a chance to have more visibility in the country’s market. [Andrea Tolu](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/author/andreatolu/) Published February 08, 2021 ![](http://publisher.gie.net/fileuploads/publications/29/issues/103817/articles/images/Andrea_Tolu_International_Perspectives_digital_bio_fmt.png) On Christmas Eve, just a few days before the Dec. 31 deadline, the European Union and the United Kingdom finally struck a deal on Brexit, the yearslong plan for the country to leave the EU. The agreement is mainly focused on circulation of goods and leaves out important aspects such as data sharing or professional services. This last-minute act marked the end of the transition period, which started in January 2020. The exit of the U.K. from the EU is complete, and that will have consequences on U.S. food businesses. Starting Jan. 1, 2021, producers that have been using the U.K. as an entry point to the EU common market have had to choose an importer based in one of the other 27 EU member states. For the most part, import rules will be the same regardless of the new point of entry. However, for some products, the EU country of choice might make a difference. “Each country may have different requirements on specific products,” said food lawyer and consultant Cesare Varallo. “In the past, for example, many U.S. supplement producers would choose to access the EU market through the U.K. because there were fewer requirements.” But, the EU is no longer an entry point for the U.K. market. The exit of the U.K. also changes labeling requirements for food products that need to indicate the origin. Food from the U.K. must not be labelled as “origin: EU.” For products exported to the U.K., the “origin: non-EU” indication has to be replaced by “origin: non-U.K.” It is also mandatory to have a U.K. business name and address on the pack for all domestic and imported food. These provisions, however, don’t apply to Northern Ireland, which remains aligned to some of the EU rules for at least four years. In the longer term, the consequences of Brexit on U.S. food producers are more difficult to predict, as they depend on many variables. One of the priorities of the U.K. in the post-exit period will likely be to reduce its dependence on the EU, which provides 26% of its food. Even with a trade agreement in place, the reliance on EU imports is expected to increase food prices in the U.K. due to additional administrative costs. The London School of Economics estimated prices will rise between 4% for unbranded and more substitutable products, and 9.9% for branded and specialty products. Such an increase will be unsustainable for many households, especially in the current recession caused by the pandemic. The need to keep food prices down will therefore push the U.K. to diversify its provisions by striking separate agreements with other countries. That is good news for the U.S., which currently only accounts for 4% of U.K. food imports. In fact, negotiations for a U.K.-U.S. agreement started in May 2020. The concern of trade organizations is that a future U.K.-U.S. deal may open the U.K. market to cheaper food produced with quality and safety standards that are considered to be lower. The most frequent examples are the use of growth hormones in beef and the treatment of chicken carcasses with chlorine. These practices are banned in the EU and will likely remain banned in the U.K., at least for the time being. That, however, may change if the U.K. and the U.S. strike an equivalence agreement. Generally, commercial deals between countries fall into one of three categories, according to Varallo. “The simplest ones only include tariffs and leave out standards,” he said. “While the most complex types aim to harmonize them too. Equivalence agreements are somewhere in between. Each party’s standards are mutually recognized, regardless of their differences.” Such a scenario would drive food prices down but would have to face the fierce opposition of U.K. food producers and retailers. In 2020, several supermarket chains, including Aldi, Marks & Spenser and Sainsbury’s pledged not to sell chlorinated chicken or hormone-injected beef. A possible alternative for the U.K. would be to introduce certain food safety practices that were banned when it was part of the EU. That would allow internal producers to compete with imported food, but at the same time it would create distrust among the rest of European consumers, damaging U.K. food exports to the EU common market. There are complex choices ahead for the U.K. government, partly because the food sector is complex. “The Brexiteers’ idea of making the U.K. a European free trade zone and strike better agreements might work in other sectors,” said Varallo. “But with food, it’s much more complicated.” 1. [International](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/international) 2. [Food Safety Culture](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/food-safety-culture) 3. [Supply Chain](https://www.qualityassurancemag.com/tag/supply-chain) 4. 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Readable Markdown	![](http://publisher.gie.net/fileuploads/publications/29/issues/103817/articles/images/Andrea_Tolu_International_Perspectives_digital_bio_fmt.png) On Christmas Eve, just a few days before the Dec. 31 deadline, the European Union and the United Kingdom finally struck a deal on Brexit, the yearslong plan for the country to leave the EU. The agreement is mainly focused on circulation of goods and leaves out important aspects such as data sharing or professional services. This last-minute act marked the end of the transition period, which started in January 2020. The exit of the U.K. from the EU is complete, and that will have consequences on U.S. food businesses. Starting Jan. 1, 2021, producers that have been using the U.K. as an entry point to the EU common market have had to choose an importer based in one of the other 27 EU member states. For the most part, import rules will be the same regardless of the new point of entry. However, for some products, the EU country of choice might make a difference. “Each country may have different requirements on specific products,” said food lawyer and consultant Cesare Varallo. “In the past, for example, many U.S. supplement producers would choose to access the EU market through the U.K. because there were fewer requirements.” But, the EU is no longer an entry point for the U.K. market. The exit of the U.K. also changes labeling requirements for food products that need to indicate the origin. Food from the U.K. must not be labelled as “origin: EU.” For products exported to the U.K., the “origin: non-EU” indication has to be replaced by “origin: non-U.K.” It is also mandatory to have a U.K. business name and address on the pack for all domestic and imported food. These provisions, however, don’t apply to Northern Ireland, which remains aligned to some of the EU rules for at least four years. In the longer term, the consequences of Brexit on U.S. food producers are more difficult to predict, as they depend on many variables. One of the priorities of the U.K. in the post-exit period will likely be to reduce its dependence on the EU, which provides 26% of its food. Even with a trade agreement in place, the reliance on EU imports is expected to increase food prices in the U.K. due to additional administrative costs. The London School of Economics estimated prices will rise between 4% for unbranded and more substitutable products, and 9.9% for branded and specialty products. Such an increase will be unsustainable for many households, especially in the current recession caused by the pandemic. The need to keep food prices down will therefore push the U.K. to diversify its provisions by striking separate agreements with other countries. That is good news for the U.S., which currently only accounts for 4% of U.K. food imports. In fact, negotiations for a U.K.-U.S. agreement started in May 2020. The concern of trade organizations is that a future U.K.-U.S. deal may open the U.K. market to cheaper food produced with quality and safety standards that are considered to be lower. The most frequent examples are the use of growth hormones in beef and the treatment of chicken carcasses with chlorine. These practices are banned in the EU and will likely remain banned in the U.K., at least for the time being. That, however, may change if the U.K. and the U.S. strike an equivalence agreement. Generally, commercial deals between countries fall into one of three categories, according to Varallo. “The simplest ones only include tariffs and leave out standards,” he said. “While the most complex types aim to harmonize them too. Equivalence agreements are somewhere in between. Each party’s standards are mutually recognized, regardless of their differences.” Such a scenario would drive food prices down but would have to face the fierce opposition of U.K. food producers and retailers. In 2020, several supermarket chains, including Aldi, Marks & Spenser and Sainsbury’s pledged not to sell chlorinated chicken or hormone-injected beef. A possible alternative for the U.K. would be to introduce certain food safety practices that were banned when it was part of the EU. That would allow internal producers to compete with imported food, but at the same time it would create distrust among the rest of European consumers, damaging U.K. food exports to the EU common market. There are complex choices ahead for the U.K. government, partly because the food sector is complex. “The Brexiteers’ idea of making the U.K. a European free trade zone and strike better agreements might work in other sectors,” said Varallo. “But with food, it’s much more complicated.”
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