Nearly a year after we officially left the EU @c4Dispatches is asking: what does the new free trade deal really cost businesses?
The Institute of Directors for Dispatches surveyed 635 small and medium sized businesses about their experiences trading with the EU in 2021.
We asked them to compare how much trade they’d done in January to October this year, to the last five years before Brexit.
We asked them to compare how much trade they’d done in January to October this year, to the last five years before Brexit.
Of the companies who responded:
Nearly half that trade with the EU said they’re doing less trade or have stopped trading with the EU entirely.
13% of exporters say that their trade to the EU has fallen by up to 100%.
Nearly half that trade with the EU said they’re doing less trade or have stopped trading with the EU entirely.
13% of exporters say that their trade to the EU has fallen by up to 100%.
And for the rest:
Just over a third said they were doing the same amount of trade.
17% said they were doing more.
Just over a third said they were doing the same amount of trade.
17% said they were doing more.
We asked if the costs of trading with the EU had risen or fallen since Brexit.
Of the companies who responded:
62% of businesses that trade with the EU said the costs had risen this year.
84% of those said costs had gone up by 50%.
Of the companies who responded:
62% of businesses that trade with the EU said the costs had risen this year.
84% of those said costs had gone up by 50%.
Only 1% said costs had fallen.
21% said their costs hadn’t changed.
21% said their costs hadn’t changed.
Nearly 15% of businesses said they’d been able to pass on new costs to their customers.
But over 70% said they’d had to absorb some or all the extra costs themselves.
But over 70% said they’d had to absorb some or all the extra costs themselves.
Over a quarter of those trading with EU said they are now considering moving some or all of their operations to inside the single market because of Brexit.
16% say they’ve already decided to move all or some of their operations from the UK to the EU.
16% say they’ve already decided to move all or some of their operations from the UK to the EU.
But, some of the businesses we asked did report positive news.
Around 10% said they’ve managed to move up to a quarter of their typical EU trade to countries outside Europe since January.
Around 10% said they’ve managed to move up to a quarter of their typical EU trade to countries outside Europe since January.
A government spokesperson told Dispatches: 
The UK government also said:
WATCH @C4Dispatches Did Brexit work for Business? Tonight at 8.30pm on @Channel4
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