Maintaining supply in the face of change

The Brexit transition period ends on the 31st of December 2020 and the UK Government have confirmed that there will be no extension to this. If a new deal cannot be agreed by the end of 2020, then from the 1st of January 2021, the UK and EU will revert to trading on WTO rules.

Our response to the situation

We continue to monitor the Brexit situation closely and remain prepared with measures to counteract the impact of these circumstances, ensuring a continued reliable supply of our products after 31st December 2020.

We already sell to, and buy from, many non-EU countries, so have all necessary procedures in place should we need to treat the EU countries in the same manner.

The key actions we have taken and are constantly reviewing are: 

• We have identified our key product lines across the business and have adjusted production schedules accordingly to maximise availability.
• Any materials sourced from mainland Europe and non-EU countries come via a well-established process with robust supply chains and we are working closely with our key suppliers to safeguard these supply chains to ensure continuous availability.
• We are continuing discussions with our key Freight Forwarders to mitigate the risk of customs delays, including reviewing alternative routes into the UK and preparations for increase in customs administration.
• Our Brexit steering committee is continuing to review the political landscape, and consult with customers, suppliers and industry peers as to the best way to mitigate the negative effects of Brexit.
• We are also monitoring any travel issues for our employees during and after a no-deal Brexit.

Business as Usual

We would like to assure all our customers and suppliers that we are taking all reasonable steps to mitigate risk. We have been reassured by the massive support the UK government has been providing to exporters. We fully expect to continue our high levels of customer service globally throughout 2021 and beyond.