The EU is set to ban imports of Brazilian animal products, including beef and poultry, due to concerns that Brazil has not demonstrated compliance with EU rules, prohibiting the use of certain antimicrobials for growth promotion in food-producing animals. Unless Brazil satisfies the EU's requirements, the restrictions are due to take effect in September 2026.
Brazil exports far more beef to the EU than to the UK, and if access to the EU is lost, exporters may seek alternative markets, including the UK. Increased imports would likely make imported beef cheaper, which would put pressure on UK cattle prices and margins for beef producers. Brazil has access to a UK WTO beef quota for fresh, chilled and frozen beef of approximately 11,143 tonnes. However, in 2024, imports from Brazil reached 23,000, which was 8% of the UK's total beef imports.
As part of the Scottish Red Meat Resilience Group (SRMRG), we have written a letter to Angela Eagle MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Jonathan Reynolds MP, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. SRMRG is a group of organisations from across the red meat supply chain that works collaboratively on key issues affecting the industry, including QMS, NFU Scotland, SAMW, IAAS, NSA Scotland, SBA, Scottish Craft Butchers, SAYFC, SCF, and the Pig Industry Leadership Group.
In the letter we have urged the UK Government to mirror the EU's approach, arguing that imports should only be permitted where Brazil can provide verified and auditable guarantees that products meet equivalent UK standards. We have also warned that failing to act could undermine confidence in UK food standards, place domestic livestock producers at a competitive disadvantage, and create uncertainty as the UK negotiates a new sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU.
The UK Government has an opportunity to align with the EU’s approach by prioritising and protecting domestic producers and consumers alike. Without a firm commitment to equivalent import standards, there is a risk that products which do not meet UK expectations could enter the wholesale and out-of-home sectors, where transparency continues to be limited.
This lack of visibility means consumers may not have the information they need to make informed choices about the food they buy and eat. Our ShelfWatch initiative closely monitors and tracks retailers’ sourcing against their commitments, it is much harder to apply the same scrutiny to other parts of our food system due to labelling loopholes. We will continue to underline the importance of the UK Government introducing country-of-origin labelling across the out-of-home sector, alongside continued engagement with retailers and supply chain partners to minimise unintended consequences or displacement of domestic products.
Duncan Macalister said:
“In the UK, livestock producers are rightly expected to meet stringent and high standards on the responsible use of antibiotics. The use of antibiotics for growth promotion has been banned for decades and significant progress has been made through improved husbandry and antimicrobial stewardship. It is critical that imported products are held to same exacting standards.
Allowing beef produced to lower regulatory requirements onto the UK market could disadvantage domestic producers and, significantly, undermine the confidence of our consumers. This is particularly important as the UK resets its relationship with the EU through the SPS agreement. Trade policy must remain consistent with the UK's commitment to high production standards and regulatory equivalence.”
For more information on the detail of the ban, please see an article from the BAB office
here.