**Brexit’s £88m Meat Mulligan?**

The UK and EU are inching toward a new SPS agreement, and for British meat exporters, the math suddenly looks a lot friendlier.

Research by The Andersons Centre suggests the deal could save up to £88m a year. Right now, exporters are paying more than £200 per tonne on chilled meat shipments to the EU, thanks to post-Brexit border checks and paperwork. Under a high-friction scenario, the modelling points to £49.8m in indirect trade benefits plus £38.0m in red tape cost reductions.

The agreement, expected from mid-2027, would align UK food law more closely with EU standards. In practice, that means UK rules would automatically update when EU rules change. The goal is simpler movement of animals, animal products, plants and plant products between the UK and EU, with fewer certificates and controls. Northern Ireland is already aligned under the Windsor Framework, so little changes there.

Not everyone is cheering. Critics warn the deal could cost up to £700m a year and chip away at UK regulatory sovereignty.

Why it matters: for meat and broader food and feed businesses trading into the EU, friction equals cost. Strip out enough friction and margin reappears. The real question is strategic. Are UK producers willing to trade rule-making independence for smoother access to their biggest nearby market? For chilled meat exporters staring at £200 per tonne in extra costs, the answer may already be clear.