British Plastics Federation calls on government to avoid a no-deal Brexit

The British plastics industry has delivered a clear message to UK political leaders and Theresa May in particular, saying they do not want a no-deal Brexit.

The British Plastics Federation believes that a no-deal Brexit would create major issues for the plastics industry.

A recent poll carried out by the BPF found that over three quarters of responding companies believed that a no-deal Brexit would have a “negative” or “very negative” effect on their business.

Not only has the BPF shared this information with the UK government, but its Director-General Phillip Law has written to leaders of the major political parties pointing out the dangers of a no-deal Brexit and urging greater dialogue between the parties in the national interest.

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 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 for our UK manufacturing sector as a whole.”