Supermarkets supplying N. Ireland will get grace period, says UK's Gove

Supermarkets selling into Northern Ireland will have a grace period to adapt their systems, Michael Gove, the British minister in charge of implementing the Brexit deal, said on Wednesday. We heard throughout the year that traders needed time to adapt their systems, that's why we've got a grace period for supermarkets to update their procedures."

Supermarkets selling into Northern Ireland will have a grace period to adapt their systems, Michael Gove, the British minister in charge of implementing the Brexit deal, said on Wednesday. Updating parliament on an agreement with the European Union, separate to talks on a future trading relationship, on trade between mainland Britain and Northern Ireland after Dec. 31, Gove said supermarkets would have a grace period to adapt.

"This deal will keep goods flowing between Great Britain and Northern Ireland in January and indeed provide some necessary additional flexibilities," he said. "It protects Northern Ireland's supermarket supplies. We heard throughout the year that traders needed time to adapt their systems, that's why we've got a grace period for supermarkets to update their procedures."