The UK government will suspend tariffs on more than 100 imported products, including baked beans, chocolate and marmalade, Chancellor John Healey said. The move is part of a set of "everyday fixes" aimed at easing the cost of living.
An analysis of the list reveals that tariffs of 16% will be removed on finished bean products imported from around the world. Many of those products are also made in the UK.
The Food and Drink Federation, led by chief executive Karen Betts, criticized the decision. Betts said it "will have no meaningful impact on consumer prices" and will "undermine British factories and their workers." She said the Treasury has "persistently failed to recognise the importance of food and drink manufacturing." Betts said the government should instead address high energy costs and "overly complex" regulation.
A spokesperson for Princes Group, which produces Branston Baked Beans in the UK, said removing tariffs on imported finished baked beans is "unlikely to have a meaningful impact on prices." The spokesperson noted there are no tariffs on the imported haricot beans used by UK manufacturers, or on EU imports. The company said measures addressing manufacturing costs, particularly energy, "would have a greater impact."
According to the government, the move, combined with tariff suspensions announced earlier this year, will reduce consumer costs by between £245 million and £595 million a year. It estimates households could save up to £21 a year on their food shop.
The government said it excluded several products from the initial list "due to concerns about the impact on domestic production, developing countries, international considerations and other government policies." It acknowledged "there may be some limited impacts on domestic producers" but said it judged the consumer benefits to outweigh those risks. The article reports that the government did not respond to a request for comment.