A No-Deal Brexit could mean higher prices, more red tape and less sperm

Sam Lowe, trade expert at the Centre for European Reform, said that the documents probably contained few surprises for large businesses. “Bigger companies can deal with this, and are probably starting to think about dealing with it,” he said. “For the smaller guys, all this will be news to them.”

But Lowe said that even though the documents were branded as dealing with a “no deal” situation, many of the suggested preparations will be needed even if Britain stays close to the EU. “They outline a lot of things that all companies will have to do even if we have a deal,” he said. “New forms to fill in, registering as exporters. It’s explaining the bureaucracy of Brexit.”

And it was clear from the documents that the first wave of winners from Brexit will be people paid to deal with that bureaucracy. Businesses were urged to consider “whether they should engage the services of a customs broker, freight forwarder or logistics provider to help, or alternatively secure the appropriate software and authorizations.”