UK companies could even burn goods they do manage to get across the border, as Brexit is generating unexpected customs bills for clients when they are delivered.
There have been reports of European customers refusing to pay the charges when UK goods arrive, leaving their British manufacturers facing the cost and trouble of bringing them home.
Some have said it would be cheaper to ditch them or even set them alight, rather than pay return freight charges and face even more paperwork.
Adam Mansell, of the UK Fashion & Textile Association, said for some members of the group it was more cost effective “to write off the cost of the goods than dealing with it all, either abandoning or potentially burning them”.
A Cabinet Office spokesman said: “Thanks to the hard work put in by hauliers and traders to get ready for the changes that came as a result of leaving the Single Market and Customs Union, there are no queues in Dover, disruption at the border has so far been minimal and goods have been flowing efficiently.
“As flows increase so does the potential for disruption, and we are working closely with businesses to ensure they are as prepared as possible.”
