British Glass, representative body for the £1.3 billion UK glass manufacturing industry and its supply chain, has warned that the sector could be so damaged by rushed Government proposals for zero tariffs if there is a no-deal Brexit that it might never recover. Together with the Manufacturing Trade Remedies Alliance (MTRA), British Glass is fighting a proposal from International Trade Minister Liam Fox to introduce ‘most favoured nation zero tariffs’ on all goods imported into the UK and called for Parliamentary scrutiny before the measure goes ahead.

 “From a manufacturing position, this is a dangerous intervention, which is likely to see the UK flooded with consumer goods priced at a market advantage against domestically manufactured goods here in the UK” commented Dave Dalton, Chief Executive at British Glass. “As a proposed unilateral move, this will also affect our ability to export, as our goods will still attract the same tariffs they currently experience in overseas markets. Such an intervention can only lead to a clear risk to jobs, business and the economy.”

UK high volume glass manufacturing employs over  6500 people directly and another  115,000 in the supply chain.