THE British plastics industry has made clear its opposition to a potential ‘no-deal’ Brexit.
The British Plastics Federation (BPF) said such an occurrence would create “major issues” for the plastics sector. In a poll carried out by the BPF, over three-quarters of responding companies said a no-deal Brexit would have a “negative” or “very negative” effect on their business.
The BPF has shared this information with the UK Government and written to the leaders of the major political parties pointing out the dangers of no-deal and urging greater dialogue between the parties.
BPF director general Philip Law said, “The Brexit debate hardly provides a positive backdrop when international companies are considering the location of future investments.
“It’s time to get real. The results of our recent survey leave no room for doubt. The UK plastics industry believes that a no-deal Brexit is a bad idea and will have negative consequences for our industry. We are a major importer of raw materials and equipment, much of it from EU sources. The EU is a key market. Many of our companies have EU subsidiaries or parents.
“Our views must be recognised. The plastics industry is the UK’s third largest manufacturing sector, employing over 166,000 people across the country. We ask that UK political parties consider our survey results very carefully and the repercussions of a no deal Brexit not just for the plastics industry but our UK manufacturing sector as a whole.”
