The previous government’s ‘Not for EU’ labelling scheme for meat and dairy products has been postponed indefinitely due to industry concerns.

The newly elected Labour government announced that the plans have been paused and are now under review, following warnings that they could cause significant disruption for producers and suppliers.

The Conservative government had committed to implementing the labelling across the UK, which would have been applied to various agri-food products.

However, Dairy UK, the trade body for the dairy industry, highlighted that the cost of changing labels alone could have reached £500,000 per business, with overall expenses potentially hitting £2m when considering all factors.

The NFU also expressed concerns, warning that the labels could confuse consumers and create misconceptions about the quality of British-produced food.

Additionally, the union cautioned that domestic suppliers would face extra costs when selling food and other products across Britain.

These labels were introduced as part of the Windsor Framework Agreement, designed to govern post-Brexit trade between Northern Ireland and the EU. They were meant to ensure that food sold in Northern Ireland, without undergoing EU border checks, would not enter the Republic of Ireland, an EU member state.

Currently, meat and dairy products sent from Britain to Northern Ireland already carry these labels, with plans to expand the requirement from October 1.

Judith Bryans, chief executive of Dairy UK, expressed relief at the new decision: “Had this initiative gone ahead with new labels being required on pack by October 1, it would have resulted in chaos for dairy and added significant unnecessary cost and a huge admin burden to businesses.

“We’re very pleased that the government has listened to and reflected on the concerns we raised on behalf of our members.”

A Defra spokesperson added: “Ministers are carefully considering the evidence provided in the recent ‘not for EU’ labelling consultation.

“We are committed to taking all necessary steps to protect the UK internal market and are continuing to engage with businesses to ensure the smooth flow of goods to Northern Ireland.”