For 30 years, Daniel Lambert ran a thriving wine business from the UK but on New Year's Day in 2021 everything changed.<\/p>\n
The completion of Brexit saw his costs spiral with trading requirements starting a 150,000-a-year leak in his firm that he proudly \"started up with a fiver\".<\/p>\n
Now, Lambert, 50, has moved to southern France to run his company in hopes of cutting down on \"red tape\" expenses.<\/p>\n
Daniel Lambert Wines imports some 1.8million bottles of wine from Europe each year, supplying them to major British supermarkets Waitrose and Marks & Spencer.<\/p>\n
But UK shoppers are now paying up to 1.50 (1.77) more per bottle compared to before Brexit, Lambert said, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic had also played a part.<\/p>\n
\"Brexit is fundamentally damaging the UK economy. I haven't seen a single benefit of it,\" he said from his new home near Montpellier.<\/p>\n
Lambert hopes that by operating in France he will reduce the annual cost of importing back to the UK, which he valued at up to 150,000 (177,000).<\/p>\n
He will continue to run his warehouse in south Wales, where he employs five people.<\/p>\n
\"This is a cost-saving plan. It's not just something I thought up overnight,\" Lambert said.<\/p>\n
\"It's the only way to have the competitive edge I need.Being able to trade in the EU effectively is much easier with an EU base.<\/p>\n
\"I'm trying to mitigate all the paperwork costs and just have a logistics cost.\"<\/p>\n
Lambert said that shipping costs had almost doubled since before Brexit, rising from 160 (190) per pallet to 288 (345).<\/p>\n
But he said the biggest expense is paperwork requirements brought about after the UK withdrew from the European Single Market.<\/p>\n
While EU trade benefits from the free movement of goods, imports to Britain are subject to tighter checks which can include physical inspections of produce.<\/p>\n
Lambert said that paperwork had snowballed since Brexit with an apparent 18 new processes for him to complete before importing goods from the EU to the UK.<\/p>\n
Many companies use Europe-based \"brokers\" to make sense of and to manage new EU-UK trading requirements but this involves additional charges for their services.<\/p>\n
Lambert said he hopes to sidestep these costs by managing the paperwork himself from his company's new hub in France.<\/p>\n
However, he has faced backlash on social media after sharing his plans to leave \"Brexitland\".<\/p>\n
One woman commented: \"What stupid remarks from this man, we really don't need people like him in our country. We are Great Britain and will be getting greater.\"<\/p>\n
Lambert, who has a dual French-British nationality, said he was surprised by the criticism, adding: \"I think a lot of people need to wake up.<\/p>\n
\"My dual nationality means I now have more rights than someone with just a British passport.\"<\/p>\n
Lambert, who is living with his wife and two teenage children, said he had been contacted by thousands of expats who had move to the continent for financial reasons.<\/p>\n
He added:People told me theyve moved and havent looked back. I didnt want to do this, I honestly think its a very sad state of affairs.\"<\/p>\n
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Read the original here:<\/p>\n
Why Brexit made top UK wine seller move to France amid spiralling costs and red tape - Euronews<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For 30 years, Daniel Lambert ran a thriving wine business from the UK but on New Year's Day in 2021 everything changed. The completion of Brexit saw his costs spiral with trading requirements starting a 150,000-a-year leak in his firm that he proudly \"started up with a fiver\" Continue reading