Hundreds of UK truck drivers were given free sandwiches on Saturday, as vegan food suppliers stepped up the plate.
LoveSeitan and Simply Lunch distributed the meat-free items in order to help navigate new post-Brexit on imports. Under the new system, from January, products of animal origin are not allowed into the EU from the UK.
The issue was highlighted recently by a driver whose ham sandwiches were confiscated by Dutch border official.
On Saturday, more than 500 EU-compliant meals were handed out to grateful drivers at two sites in Kent. The majority of the free sandwiches for truck drivers were vegan coronation chickpea flavour, which provided plenty of protean, said the suppliers.
One haulier said the sandwiches were well received, with drivers pleased to get food that wouldn’t be taken away.
Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association (RHA), wasn’t happy with the whole situation. “This is a perfect example of Brexit legislation gone mad,” he said. “What was once a ham and cheese sandwich is now classed as a personal import and is now prohibited. It’s ridiculous.”
Burnett said the RHA would like more meat-free products offered to hauliers “on all crossings to mainland Europe”.
Meanwhile, in other food-based news, bacon roll sales are down at one Scottish shop because of Brexit.
Springholm Shop, on the A75 in Dumfries and Galloway, has seen sales almost half since 1st January.
Custom checks at the Cairnryan Port have meant fewer trucks passing along the road. Some hauliers who used the route from the EU to Ireland are now travelling from France directly to Ireland.
