South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth has said the devastating consequences of Brexit for the region’s small businesses are starting to be felt, following a statement from The Ethical Dairy which states that due to the cost of complying with new regulations, direct customer sales to Northern Ireland are no longer viable.

Because of new requirements, the paperwork required to send products of animal origin are designed for businesses moving large volumes of products, which are unsustainable for businesses such as The Ethical Dairy who sell small amounts of product directly to customers.

Colin Smyth said: “This is just one example of the devastating consequences of Brexit for our local businesses.

“At a time when our small businesses are really suffering due to the pandemic and all the associated virus-related restrictions, it is terrible that a company such as The Ethical Dairy has been forced to stop selling to customers in Northern Ireland due to the red tape and ill thought out bureaucracy of the new Brexit requirements.

“This is the kind of result that many people were concerned about and unfortunately this won’t be the last small company in Dumfries and Galloway who is forced to make very difficult and costly decisions due to Brexit.”