The BVA, one of the biggest retailers in the UK, said it was “shocked and dismayed” by the Brexit vote.
“We are working closely with our suppliers and customers to ensure we remain focused on delivering high quality products at affordable prices,” the BVA said in a statement.
“As the UK negotiates a new trading relationship with the EU, we will continue to work with all our suppliers, our partners and partners in Europe to ensure that our products are delivered at a competitive price.”BVA Commerce said it had worked closely with its suppliers to ensure they maintained their existing contracts and the UK’s new trade deal with the European Union.
“We have made commitments to our suppliers to keep our suppliers competitive, to maintain our contracts and to keep working closely together,” the company said.
The BVA’s CEO, Brian Cowen, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that he had spoken to BVA suppliers and their bosses.
“They are very angry,” he said.
“There’s not a lot of confidence.
There’s not any optimism about the future of the industry in Britain.
It’s a bit of a shock to them, but that’s what they’re going to have to work through.”
The industry’s going to be devastated by this.
BVA’s been in this business for 50 years.
We know the value of our work, the quality of our products, and the way we deliver those products.”
The British Retail Consortium (BRRC), which represents BVA and other major retailers, said the UK would be in for a “significant disruption” to its economy.”BVA has been an outstanding retail partner in the British economy for more than 40 years and has provided thousands of jobs,” the group’s CEO Andy Green said in the statement.
However, Mr Cowen said he would continue to “expedite” talks with BVA to keep the UK in the single market.”
I will be seeking to engage with our partners, including BVA as we negotiate our new trade relationship with Europe, and we will be looking to continue our good working relationship with them,” he added.”
It is important that the UK remains a member of the European Economic Area and remains part of the Single Market.”‘
We are prepared to face whatever comes’British retail boss Andy Cowen told Today programme, but said he was “very disappointed” by Brexit.”
When you look at what’s happening across the world, the markets, you look to Europe, they are very, very, concerned.
We are going to see a huge disruption,” he told Today.”
People are being very, really stressed.
There is going to come a point when we are going be asked to do things that are very difficult, we’re not going to like it.
So, I think that’s the reason we’re prepared to take whatever comes at us.