finds Brexit has left shoppers in Great Britain paying more at the till, with food costs up 12% after trade barriers on imports. London School of Economics researchers put the extra cost to the average family at £400 between 2019 and 2023.
London School of Economics figures
The 12% rise is not spread evenly. Low-income households have felt the biggest strain because they spend a greater share of their income on food than wealthier homes, so the same price move takes a larger slice of what they can spend.
The British government says a new food export agreement between the UK and the EU will reduce food costs and increase the variety of goods on supermarket shelves. It would remove paperwork and physical checks for dairy, fish, cheese, eggs and fresh red meat sent from the EU to the UK, but it is not due to come into force until the summer of 2027.
British Veterinary Association costs
Pet owners face a different bill. Before Brexit, the EU Pet Travel Scheme let owners travel with a pet passport that cost £60, plus about £50 for vaccination and microchipping, and the passport stayed valid for life if vaccinations were kept up to date.
Since 2021, that document is no longer valid for owners resident in Great Britain travelling with pets to member countries. Dogs, cats and ferrets now need an animal health certificate, issued within 10 days of entry and valid for six months, with a new certificate needed for each trip.
The British Veterinary Association says the documents are more onerous, complex and time-consuming for vets to complete, and they now cost an average of £230. In April, the EU made clear that British residents cannot take animals to the EU on an EU-issued pet passport.
England parcel declarations
Parcel sending changed at the end of 2020, when the transition period ended and postage became more complicated and expensive. A parcel from England, Scotland or Wales to France, Spain, Germany or another EU country now needs a customs declaration form listing what is inside, how much it is worth and an eight-digit code for each item.
That extra paperwork sits alongside the food and pet costs, and it is the part most readers will meet only when they try to send something. For households already handling higher grocery bills, the practical answer is to budget for extra steps, extra forms and, in some cases, extra fees every time they move goods or pets across the UK and the EU.
