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DUBLIN, Jan 6 (Reuters) - British retailer Marks & Spencer
said Britain's withdrawal from European Union trade
rules last week was responsible for near-empty fresh-food aisles
at some of its Irish stores on Wednesday.
Aisles selling fruit and vegetables and some fresh pre-made
meals were almost empty at one Marks & Spencer store in Dublin.
Pictures posted on Twitter by journalists showed similar scenes
in at least two other Dublin Marks & Spencer stores.
Several other supermarkets in Dublin had full fresh fruit
and vegetable shelves on Wednesday.
"Following the UK's recent departure from the EU, we are
transitioning to new processes and it is taking a little longer
for some of our products to reach our stores," a spokesman told
Reuters.
"We're working closely with our partners and suppliers to
ensure customers can continue to enjoy the same great range of
products."
The few vegetables on the shelves in Blackrock in south
Dublin were mostly potatoes, mushrooms and carrots sourced from
Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Most of Marks and Spencer's fresh produce on Irish shelves
originates from Britain or elsewhere in the world. Its products
are often prominently branded as British-made.
At least three Marks & Spencer branches in France had empty
shelves on Tuesday.
As of Jan. 1, goods travelling back and forth between
Britain and the EU are subject to customs and other bureaucratic
hurdles that did not previously exist.
M&S is scheduled to update shareholders on its Christmas
trading performance on Friday.
(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Writing by Conor Humphries;
Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
