Industries importing food and plants from the European Union will see billions added in costs after a new post-Brexit border regime was implemented on Tuesday, trade bodies claim.
Imports from Europe which are a “medium risk” to British biosecurity will be physically inspected by border forces before entry to the UK.
It is part of a post-Brexit change, which was delayed five times in the last two years but aims to help shore up the country's biosecurity, with diseases such as African swine fever currently present in several EU countries including Germany and Italy.
However, as inspectors begin examining portions of imported meat, fish, and dairy produce, industries have become concerned it could disrupt supply chains, especially for fresh goods.
"Restaurants, delicatessens, fish and chip shops could well be affected by what's currently happening today and the consumer, in the very near future will start to see some of those food products going up in price," said Phil Pluck, chief executive at the Cold Chain Federation.
Physical checks follow a string of newly implemented import rules, including requirements for additional documentation and a charge on each consignment brought into the UK.
The government estimates the changes will lead to an increase of £330 million in annual business costs and will increase food inflation by 0.2% over three years.
Yet, the Cold Chain Federation, which represents cold and frozen goods importers, believes the government have underestimated the financial burden, and says costs will be in the billions.
"We think there's going to be a billion pound's worth of extra cost put onto food coming through Dover port alone, if you expand that to the rest of the country you're looking at all sorts of money, so it won't be 0.2%, it will be substantially more than that and the consumer will see that increase," Pluck said.