French Customs Reject British Shellfish Shipments, Resulting in £150,000 Loss for UK Exporter

Shipments Rejected at French Border

French customs authorities have recently rejected three shipments of British shellfish, leading to a significant loss of £150,000 for Offshore Shellfish, a prominent mussel exporter based in Devon, UK. The rejections occurred at the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer in recent weeks, impacting three out of four lorries sent by the company. This incident has sparked concerns regarding ongoing trade friction between the UK and the EU, particularly in light of a recently announced 'reset' deal aimed at improving relations.

Reasons for Rejection and Exporter's Concerns

The cited reasons for the rejection of two of the lorries included claims that the mussels 'hadn't been properly washed.' However, Sarah Holmyard, commercial director for Offshore Shellfish, stated that the mussels originated from clean waters and had undergone washing. She described the reasons provided by French customs as 'subjective and inconsistent,' suggesting a potential political motivation behind the rejections, especially as they occurred after the announcement of the UK-EU relations 'reset.' French customs did not offer a comment on the matter. All three rejected loads were subsequently destroyed at the company's expense, causing not only financial damage but also concerns about food waste and the potential loss of customers due to unreliable deliveries.

Context of UK-EU 'Reset' Deal and Brexit Regulations

The rejections come despite a 'reset' deal between the UK government, led by Keir Starmer, and the EU, announced in May 2025. This agreement was designed to reduce the need for Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) checks and to reopen the EU market to British shellfish from certain domestic waters. Negotiations for the detailed implementation of this deal are expected to begin in October 2025, with a target for full implementation by 2027. Since Brexit, the UK is treated as a 'third country' by the EU, meaning that deliveries of animal and plant products are subject to health and veterinary checks and stringent inspections. Live bivalve molluscs, such as mussels, oysters, and scallops, face particularly strict EU regulations, often requiring them to originate from Class-A waters or undergo purification, which many UK waters and existing infrastructure do not meet.

Broader Industry Impact and Government Response

The shellfish industry views the 2027 timeline for the SPS deal's implementation as too distant, given the immediate challenges. The UK government has stated its focus on negotiating an SPS deal that could contribute up to £5.1 billion annually to the economy by reducing costs and red tape for producers. They continue to engage with industry and EU border teams to maintain trade while safeguarding biosecurity. However, the government has also indicated that it is not aware of a significant increase in rejections of British goods of animal or plant origin entering the EU. This incident is not isolated, as a Jersey shellfish company also reported a £11,000 loss in September 2025 after a four-tonne oyster export was rejected at the French border due to a 'typo' in paperwork, despite the information not being legally required.