Wine Dealers are Having New Problems with Red Tape in a Post-Brexit World

Wine Dealers are Having New Problems with Red Tape in a Post-Brexit World
One outcome from a post-Brexit world is additional red tape when dealing with the EU. This is currently occurring across many industries, but one example is wine dealers and retail shops that are struggling to manage the new complexities. It’s also almost certain that European wines will become more expensive now too.

Did Wine Dealers and Retailers Stock Up Enough?

Avid readers and consumers of good European wines expect to see a ready stock available in their local wine shop or supermarket shelves. But for wine dealers who often supply these retailers, if they haven’t already stocked up on extra supplies before the end of last year, they may have fresh difficulties with imports.

Even for organised and well-funded importers of European wines, their sales may have been swift enough to already be running low on supplies. This has prompted them to look to reorder at which point they’ve slammed into the new red tape from Europe.

Bonded Warehouse System Used to Speed Up the Process

Some larger wine importers have gone so far as to set up a bonded warehouse operation near the border. This allows them to avoid wine being stuck with Customs and permits the delivery to their warehouse whereupon the paperwork can be handled from there.

Doing so allows for a little more control but doesn’t remove the red tape entirely. However, the system that’s been put in place is complicated and often confusing. Many people involved with wine importation are finding it cumbersome, time-consuming, and in the end, are sometimes still unable to import bottles of wine.

European Wine Stocks Expected to Run Low
It’s become an obvious reality now that issues with importing will continue to build. Many wine wholesalers are currently unable to import European wine to replenish their stocks. In other situations, the process is slowing down the importation causing current stocks to run exceptionally low.

For wine lovers, the drought is only just beginning. Many retailers foresee a time when certain European wines cannot be obtained from wine dealers at all. Others are expecting to need to be more flexible and check with multiple dealers for certain hard-to-get vintages. Unfortunately, everyone will be in the same boat, so that’s unlikely to help much.

Red Tape to Increase Costs for Consumers

The combination of haulage fees that have been added on and new customs processing fees on both sides of the Channel are increasing costs.
For instance, a pallet containing 600 European wine bottles of various vintages has seen freight costs almost double in many cases. Sometimes additional bonded warehouses and/or staff to handle the additional administration increases costs still further.

Ultimately, the cost per bottle could increase by £1 or more very soon. Consumers might be wise to pick up bottles of their favourite European wine sooner rather than later – check out this online shop that delivers to your door: https://thecraftyvintner.co.uk/.

The new processes will eventually get sorted out. The current systems in place were likely rushed to get them online and functional quickly. Just like most administrative systems and procedures, subsequent versions could help to get many of the wrinkles ironed out. That could speed up the processing time but when that will happen is anyone’s guess.

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As one of Belfast’s leading wine merchants, we sell a range of premium wines, from the New World to the best of Burgundy.

This release was published on openPR.