The Italian confectionery giant Ferrero, which owns the Thorntons brand among others, has told MPs that much of the chocolate it sells in Britain is manufactured in Ireland, France, Belgium, Germany, Poland and Italy.
When an organisation fails to adapt to the demands of a nation's people by attempting to persuade the public to prioritise their own business concerns over issues such as national identity and immigration reform; they are probably setting themselves up for failure or even preparing their excuses in advance. If an organisation wishes to sell its products in the UK, it is advisable that it produces its products in a location that would be a practical choice. Should they not be able to set up some of their manufacturing facilities in the UK after Brexit, they stand to lose out to those that do.
It is even hoped that Brexit will force some manufacturers will be forced to return jobs to the UK that were previously outsourced to other countries in the EU. If Ferrero offers inferior chocolate to British consumers, those consumers will simply move on to other brands. British people may love chocolate, but its not the highest thing on their list of priorities.
Brexit is happening regardless whether we like it or not. As a nation of more than 60 million consumers, the United Kingdom will remain a desirable market for many companies, even if the economy takes a battering. If they wish to take advantage of the opportunities that will be made available as things get shaken up, they will need to plan and adapt accordingly. A few stale Ferrero Rocher will not change anybody's mind on the issue.
The potential obstacles to trade that are prompting the alarm include the UK’s possible divergence from EU standards in food and labelling, which would complicate Ferrero’s business model and potentially increase costs “by as much as 10%” while reducing “the number of different products on the market”.
Ferrero already have pretty poor form. The range of products that they current offer in the UK is much smaller than that of continental Europe; their products are relatively high priced for something that is not of such high quality. Rather than expressing signs of fear, they should get planning for what lies ahead.