Marks and Spencer Group PLC renewed its calls on the government to end physical border checks in Northern Ireland and proposed the use of technology to track goods instead.
In a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, M&S chief operating officer and managing director of food, Stuart Machin, recommended a so-called Facilitated Movement Scheme, where the use of tracking software would remove the need for further certificates on goods in transit.
The proposed scheme would go a step further than the EU’s proposals last year that allowed for fewer checks, but still required supermarkets to provide large amounts of data on shipments.
M&S has been one of the most outspoken critics of Brexit regulation that affects trade on the Northern Ireland border.
“We need a long-term sustainable solution for goods movements into Northern Ireland," Machin wrote in the letter, which was co-signed by a number of large food industry suppliers, including Boparan, Cranswick PLC (LSE:CWK), Müller, Greencore Group PLC (LSE:GNC) and Bakkavor.
“We do not want to see Northern Ireland becoming increasingly reliant on goods from overseas at the expense of British manufacturers.
“We believe a solution can be achieved by using technology that can clearly show product from GB [Great Britain] that moves to Northern Ireland, stays in Northern Ireland.
“We all want the British food industry to have a sustainable future, but this will need both government and industry to act together. Decisively and quickly.”
The letter also called on the government to grant foreign lorry drivers visas lasting up to three years and said seasonal farming workers should be allowed to remain in Britain for up to 12 months.
A UK government spokesman told the Telegraph: “The Northern Ireland Protocol is not working. That is why we are in intensive talks with the EU to get a better solution that protects stability in Northern Ireland and protects the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.
“The UK government’s proposals are pragmatic and common sense: only goods going to the EU should face checks and processes and there should be no checks for goods staying in the UK.”
The UK and the EU are holding more talks this week.