ONS figures show food shipments to the EU vastly reduced in January

Exports of food and live animals to the EU decreased by a staggering £0.7 billion, 63.6%, in January, as stifling new Brexit checks were introduced. 

Pork exports to the EU were vastly reduced, as some consignments failed to reach their destination and exporters generally held back in anticipation of the disruption accompanying meat exports. 

Anecdotally, while shipments are thought to be still down on year earlier levels, the situation has improved since, with cull sow shipments in particular moving more freely.

Overall, UK goods exports to the EU fell by 40.7% in January, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), while imports fell by 28.8%.

This was the biggest drop since records began in 1997. The ONS said temporary factors were likely to be behind much of the falls.