The glitch resulted in perishable goods, including meat, cheese, and flowers, being held up for 20 hours at the government control post serving Dover and the Channel Tunnel. Businesses have called for urgent action to prevent a repeat of the problems faced by truckers. The National Farmers’ Union said the chaos around the delays “further illustrates the importance of free-flowing trade between the UK and the EU.”

This comes as the UK and EU are still working out the details of their new post-Brexit trade relationship. The British Retail Consortium warned that such delays could lead to higher prices and reduced availability of some goods. They urged both sides to come together to agree on long-term solutions to prevent similar disruption in the future.