Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Tesco have refused to sign a letter from the country’s largest companies in support of the UK remaining in the European Union, the Guardian newspaper has reported.
More than half of Britain’s biggest firms are reported to have signed a letter to favour an ‘in’ vote in the upcoming referendum.
But the retailers, which declined to back either side ahead of the Scottish referendum, said the choice over whether to continue belonging to the EU was one for the British people.
The joint letter comes as 23 June was set as the date for a referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU.
Industry body the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) has said that it is not in a position to tell members how to vote, but has offered advice about the potential impact on the fruit and veg sector.
Imports account for around 65 per cent of UK fresh fruit and vegetables, with the majority coming from EU member states, the FPC said. Factors that will be affected by the EU membership decision include: customs tariffs; recruitment of foreign workers; regulations such as food safety, plant health, marketing standards; EU funding and the CAP; and international trade agreements.
At a recent meeting with Defra, the FPC said it asked for guidance on plant health imports inspections in the event that the UK left the EU.
A spokesperson for Defra said: 'We have not looked at this as the Prime Minister is focused on success; he believes Britain’s best future lies within a reformed European Union, if necessary changes can be agreed.
'There is usually a two-year transition period if we were to come out of the EU but at present we are working on the basis that we would be staying in the EU. No central guidance has been given at present. There are countries that do have mirrored legislation like Norway and Switzerland so there is a possibility we could work on the same basis.'
The NFU has also refrained from taking a position. “At this stage we simply can’t. It's impossible to measure the impact of being outside the EU since we do not know the relationship the UK would have with the EU or the conditions under which our farmers would be expected to operate if we left,' an NFU statement said.
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