Christmas Food Deliveries Are Under Threat

New EU border controls are posing a danger to the food supply chain that supplies Britain for Christmas, truck drivers have warned.

The new checks require all non-EU passengers at Dover to have fingerprint and facial recognition checks.

Logistics UK claims that this would impede the movement of products and that there are concerns that the inspections may cause traffic congestion that stretches for miles, which might cause vacationers to be delayed.

The EU is preparing to roll out its new Entry/Exit System (EES) on November 10 and Logistics UK said the changes threaten to disrupt lorry traffic during the onset of winter when the UK is reliant on imported goods.

Nichola Mallon, head of trade at Logistics UK, told The Telegraph: ‘If the EES is implemented as planned, I’m afraid we’re facing huge upheaval in the supply chain.

‘The Government needs to take the lead now on raising awareness among the public, managing their expectations and signposting where they can go for advice.’

Calculations suggest the EES could increase processing times for a car with a family of four from less than 60 seconds to seven minutes.

Additionally, the Imperial College London study indicates that lines lengthen by almost 10 kilometres for every additional minute.

Dover is braced for delays of up to 14 hours, with Kent County Council warning jams could be ‘much worse’ than 23-mile tailbacks seen in 2022.

The new system requires people waiting in cars and lorries at Dover to scan their fingerprints and photos, with the information being stored for three years.

Additionally, passengers boarding the Eurostar trains at St Pancras International and the Eurotunnel vehicle shuttle at Folkestone will be led to designated booths.

Dover and Eurotunnel handled 54 percent of all UK trade with continental Europe last year.

Logistics UK estimates the cost of border delays at £1.30 a minute, with a 14-hour hold-up costing £1,100 in additional expense per truck.

The group also warns an average 90-minute extension to journeys would cost the economy £400 million a year and any extra cost will be passed onto consumers.

However, according to European officials, the system would fight identity fraud by forcing the gathering of biometric data and will make the EU safer by detecting visitors who overstay their visas.

Those who refuse to have a picture taken or their fingerprints scanned will be denied entry into the Schengen travel area.

More needless attempts to instill fear among consumers. Like the majority of other merchants, our stores have their Christmas merchandise already stored in their warehouses. To allay concerns about, say, veggies, simply purchase them frozen and keep them in the freezer until Christmas.

Stores keep Christmas puddings in cages in their warehouse before they put them onto the shelves. Although it’s terrible keeping Christmas puddings in cages, I only buy free range!

Tubs of Christmas chocolate are already stocked on the shelves of ASDA stores. If you’re concerned that there won’t be enough food for everyone for Christmas, just purchase everything now and freeze it. It’s Christmas Day; the food doesn’t matter as long as your family is there!

There is a shortage of one item or another around Christmas time every year, yet shops nonetheless enthusiastically promote their products. Some people may be working together to increase sales and profits.

This pre-Christmas is scaremongering every year, but nobody goes without their turkey, do they? As always, project fear.