Latest news with #StuartMachin
Daily Mail
16 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Marks & Spencer hits out at grocery red tape madness
The boss of Marks & Spencer has hit out over 'bureaucratic madness' ahead of costly Northern Ireland red tape coming into force next week. Stuart Machin took aim at the changes which are being introduced despite Labour's claim to have reset EU relations. The rules mean thousands of everyday grocery products will require special labels when they are shipped from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. Retailers already have to do this for all meat and dairy products under the Windsor Framework agreement between the UK and the EU. And even more products – from fruit and vegetables to fish and pizza – need extra checks from July 1. Machin said it meant retailers were facing 'yet another layer of unnecessary costs and red tape'. M&S operates 22 shops in Northern Ireland. Its operations in the region, like those of other UK-wide retailers, are complicated by the fact that Northern Ireland shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland, which is in the EU. Machin (pictured) said that more than a thousand M&S products will require a 'not for EU' label and another 400 will need to go through extra checks in the so-called 'red lane' for goods. In a post on X, he added: 'Quite frankly it's bureaucratic madness, confusing for customers and completely unnecessary given the UK has some of the highest food standards in the world.' Andrew Opie, director of food at the British Retail Consortium, said: 'The thousands of additional products needing 'not for EU' labelling in July combined with hard-line enforcement means retailers face a huge challenge maintaining choice for their customers in Northern Ireland.' In February, M&S managing director for food Alex Freudmann criticised the heavy paperwork involved with sending goods from Britain to the Republic of Ireland. This paperwork 'takes hours to complete and demands detail as niche as the Latin name for the chicken that is used in our chicken tikka masala,' he said. A Government spokesman said: 'Not for EU' labelling was agreed as part of the Windsor Framework in 2023. Labelling will only be required for certain food and drink products. Many things like cakes, bread, pasta and alcohol will not need to be labelled. 'When implemented, agreements we secured at the UK-EU Summit will reduce the need for this labelling and make it easier to move goods between the UK and Europe. 'We will continue to work closely with businesses to support them in implementing these arrangements, helping them to continue to move their goods smoothly across the UK.'
Leader Live
18 hours ago
- Business
- Leader Live
M&S boss criticises post-Brexit food labelling as ‘bureaucratic madness'
Stuart Machin described 'yet another layer of unnecessary costs and red tape for retailers', as he revealed that more than 1,000 M&S products destined for Northern Ireland will need to have a 'Not for EU' sticker affixed from next week. These labels have been phased in since 2023 when the post-Brexit trading deal was agreed. The Windsor Framework was negotiated by the UK and EU to address issues which had arisen in the operation of the Northern Ireland Protocol which effectively keeps Northern Ireland within the EU for trade. Next week sees the final phase of the Windsor Framework come into effect, adding yet another layer of unnecessary costs and red tape for food retailers like M&S. – 1000+ M&S products destined for Northern Ireland will need to have a 'Not For EU' label stuck on them. – Another… — Stuart Machin (@MachinStuart1) June 27, 2025 However, rules were needed to ensure goods for the UK did not enter the EU single market in the Republic of Ireland. Earlier this month the UK Government indicated it would hope for a smoother flow of trade when its new sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) deal with the EU is finalised. Mr Machin indicated he was hopeful that the stickers may become unnecessary following the new deal. He took to social media on Friday to express his frustration. 'Next week sees the final phase of the Windsor Framework come into effect, adding yet another layer of unnecessary costs and red tape for food retailers like M&S. – 1000+ M&S products destined for Northern Ireland will need to have a 'Not For EU' label stuck on them,' he posted on the social media platform X. 'Another 400 will need to go through additional checks in the 'Red Lane'. 'Quite frankly it's bureaucratic madness, confusing for customers, and completely unnecessary given the UK has some of the highest food standards in the world. 'The Government's SPS deal with the EU will be game-changing, and it can't come soon enough!'
North Wales Chronicle
19 hours ago
- Business
- North Wales Chronicle
M&S boss criticises post-Brexit food labelling as ‘bureaucratic madness'
Stuart Machin described 'yet another layer of unnecessary costs and red tape for retailers', as he revealed that more than 1,000 M&S products destined for Northern Ireland will need to have a 'Not for EU' sticker affixed from next week. These labels have been phased in since 2023 when the post-Brexit trading deal was agreed. The Windsor Framework was negotiated by the UK and EU to address issues which had arisen in the operation of the Northern Ireland Protocol which effectively keeps Northern Ireland within the EU for trade. Next week sees the final phase of the Windsor Framework come into effect, adding yet another layer of unnecessary costs and red tape for food retailers like M&S. – 1000+ M&S products destined for Northern Ireland will need to have a 'Not For EU' label stuck on them. – Another… — Stuart Machin (@MachinStuart1) June 27, 2025 However, rules were needed to ensure goods for the UK did not enter the EU single market in the Republic of Ireland. Earlier this month the UK Government indicated it would hope for a smoother flow of trade when its new sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) deal with the EU is finalised. Mr Machin indicated he was hopeful that the stickers may become unnecessary following the new deal. He took to social media on Friday to express his frustration. 'Next week sees the final phase of the Windsor Framework come into effect, adding yet another layer of unnecessary costs and red tape for food retailers like M&S. – 1000+ M&S products destined for Northern Ireland will need to have a 'Not For EU' label stuck on them,' he posted on the social media platform X. 'Another 400 will need to go through additional checks in the 'Red Lane'. 'Quite frankly it's bureaucratic madness, confusing for customers, and completely unnecessary given the UK has some of the highest food standards in the world. 'The Government's SPS deal with the EU will be game-changing, and it can't come soon enough!'
The Guardian
19 hours ago
- Business
- The Guardian
M&S boss slams ‘bureaucratic madness' of products requiring ‘not for EU' labels
The boss of Marks & Spencer has called on the government to rapidly reset relations with the EU and criticised new rules which demand extra checks and labelling on products headed from the UK mainland to Northern Ireland as 'bureaucratic madness'. Stuart Machin, the chief executive of M&S which has 25 stores in Northern Ireland, said that from next week the retailer would have to label 1,000 more products destined for the UK country with 'not for EU' while another 400 items would require 'additional checks'. The 'not for EU' labelling is designed to prevent products intended for sale in Northern Ireland being moved to the Republic of Ireland, which is an EU member. In a post on X, he said the change in rules added 'yet another layer of unnecessary costs and red tape for food retailers like M&S.' 'Quite frankly it's bureaucratic madness, confusing for customers, and completely unnecessary given the UK has some of the highest food standards in the world.' The changes come before the implementation of a new deal between the government and the EU to remove the need for health and veterinary certification, known as sanitary and phytosanitary checks (SPS), on exports of farm products ranging from fresh meat and dairy products to vegetables, timber, wool and leather. The details of the deal, which was part of a major reset in EU-UK relations announced in May, are still being thrashed out and experts believe this could take up to a year. Earlier this month the government said that before the final deal, it was scrapping plans to introduce checks this summer on EU imports of 'medium-risk fruit and vegetables', such as tomatoes, peppers, grapes, plums and cherries. Machin said 'The government's SPS deal with the EU will be gamechanging, and it can't come soon enough!' From 1 July the final phase of the Windsor framework, which was designed to protect the EU single market and stop British goods leaking into the bloc via the Republic of Ireland, comes into force, requiring some goods to hold the 'not for the EU' labels. The deal was a compromise to obviate the need for some border checks on fresh foods such as sausages. Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion Some unpackaged fruit and vegetables and items such as confectionery, chocolate, pasta, biscuits and coffee are exempt. Until now, the 'not for EU' labelling requirement applied only to meat and some fresh dairy products. The Windsor framework, which tweaked the Brexit arrangements that created the Irish Sea trade border, came into force in March 2023. Most large businesses were able to ease the flow of their goods a few months later when a trusted-trader scheme was launched. In May 2021, a few months after Brexit was implemented, Marks & Spencer said the changes in trade arrangement had added about £30m of costs to its dealings with the island of Ireland. It has since changed some ways of working and sources of supply.
Glasgow Times
19 hours ago
- Business
- Glasgow Times
M&S boss criticises post-Brexit food labelling as ‘bureaucratic madness'
Stuart Machin described 'yet another layer of unnecessary costs and red tape for retailers', as he revealed that more than 1,000 M&S products destined for Northern Ireland will need to have a 'Not for EU' sticker affixed from next week. These labels have been phased in since 2023 when the post-Brexit trading deal was agreed. The Windsor Framework was negotiated by the UK and EU to address issues which had arisen in the operation of the Northern Ireland Protocol which effectively keeps Northern Ireland within the EU for trade. Next week sees the final phase of the Windsor Framework come into effect, adding yet another layer of unnecessary costs and red tape for food retailers like M&S. – 1000+ M&S products destined for Northern Ireland will need to have a 'Not For EU' label stuck on them. – Another… — Stuart Machin (@MachinStuart1) June 27, 2025 However, rules were needed to ensure goods for the UK did not enter the EU single market in the Republic of Ireland. Earlier this month the UK Government indicated it would hope for a smoother flow of trade when its new sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) deal with the EU is finalised. Mr Machin indicated he was hopeful that the stickers may become unnecessary following the new deal. He took to social media on Friday to express his frustration. 'Next week sees the final phase of the Windsor Framework come into effect, adding yet another layer of unnecessary costs and red tape for food retailers like M&S. – 1000+ M&S products destined for Northern Ireland will need to have a 'Not For EU' label stuck on them,' he posted on the social media platform X. 'Another 400 will need to go through additional checks in the 'Red Lane'. 'Quite frankly it's bureaucratic madness, confusing for customers, and completely unnecessary given the UK has some of the highest food standards in the world. 'The Government's SPS deal with the EU will be game-changing, and it can't come soon enough!'
