Brexit latest: All the food and drink we could run out of if we leave the EU

It has been a bit of a tumultuous week for Brexit. Last week saw Prime Minister Theresa May strike an EU divorce deal which saw some cabinet ministers – including the Brexit secretary – resign from their positions.

With just 130 days to go until Britain leaves the European Union, to say there is uncertainty in the air is an understatement. Indeed, there have even been reports of people starting to stockpile food.

But will we really run out of anything?

No one seems to know what will happen come March 29, 2019, although undoubtedly there are some foods and drinks more likely to experience shortages.

Below, are the foods that might disappear from our shelves.

1. Cheese

It’s safe to say we’re cheese lovers here in the UK, with Brits consuming around 700,000 tonnes of cheese per year – which equates to around 10 kilograms of cheese per person each year.

Yet, a recent report from the British Retail Consortium found Brexit could mean a ‘cheese crisis’ as import costs from European countries would rise. Burrata, comté and manchego have already seen price rises and even our beloved cheddar cheese is at risk, because 82 per cent of the UK’s cheddar is imported from Ireland.

A separate study from the London School of Economics backed up these claims and furthermore, the UK managing director of Arla Foods, Ash Amirahmadi, said in a press release: "Our dependence on imported dairy products means that disruption to the supply chain will have a big impact. Most likely we would see shortages of products and a sharp rise in prices, turning everyday staples like butter, yoghurts, cheese and infant formula, into occasional luxuries. Speciality cheeses, where there are currently limited options for production, may become very scarce."

The answer to a cheese crisis? Buy local. The UK produces 94 per cent of the milk it consumes and there are plenty of UK-made cheeses on the market.

2. Gin

Before you start panicking that your favourite summer tipple may be in short supply, gin is only predicted to run out if the 'doomsday no-deal' scenario comes to fruition.

According to the Wine and Spirits Trade Association (WSTA), if 'no deal' were to play out, this would greatly affect the UK’s juniper supplies, making gin much harder to produce.

3. Mars bars

During a roundtable meeting with Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Michael Gove over the weekend, it was revealed that Mars bars could run out ‘within weeks’ if the UK left the EU without a deal.

This is because two of the ingredients found in the chocolate bar are imported and go off within a few days. If certain food imports are barred from entering the UK in the no-deal scenario, the beloved Mars bar might cease production.

4. Olive Oil

In 2017, the price of olive oil hit a seven-year high due to a suffering pound and bad weather in Europe – if Brexit causes the pound to suffer even further this could lead to a price hike in the beloved oil.

5. Wine

When Britain leave the EU, the pound is expected to devaluate. This combined with last year’s analysis by the UK Trade Policy Observatory - that the price of wine could increase by 22 per cent by 2025 - means we may no longer be able to rely on £5 bottles of our favourite evening beverage.