UK government plans tariff suspensions on more than 100 products

The UK government has announced plans to suspend import tariffs—taxes charged on goods brought into the country—on more than 100 products, including marmalade and gherkins. UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds told BBC Business that the new measures, combined with earlier tariff suspensions, would save around £500 million a year.

The plans would extend suspensions introduced in June on products including pasta, fruit juice and tuna. The £500 million estimate covers both sets of measures, not the newly announced suspensions alone.

Plans also cover fertiliser and kerosene

The planned suspensions extend beyond food to fertilisers and kerosene. The government said removing fertiliser tariffs is intended to help farmers, while changes to kerosene import levies target households that rely on heating oil.

Which charges would be suspended?

For marmalade, the suspension would remove a 20% tariff and an additional charge of £19 for every 100kg imported.

The government estimates that households could save up to £21 a year, or about 40p a week, from the new measures combined with the existing suspensions. This household figure also covers both sets of measures.

Opposition response and the Budget

The Conservatives said higher borrowing costs, taxes and inflation had already wiped out the benefits of the government’s measures. Conservative shadow chancellor Andrew Griffith called the offer of cheaper gherkins “an insult to families hammered by Labour’s tax rises”.