Tesco works on stockpiling arrangements in Brexit contingency plans

Tesco is making arrangements to stockpile goods as part of the supermarket’s Brexit contingency planning, the UK's biggest supermarket confirmed today.

The UK’s biggest retailer is working with suppliers to devise plans to hold stock closer to the market, and said that sensible contingency plans are in place.

Read more: Tesco sees like-for-like sales boost in Christmas shopping period

However, the grocer raised concerns over the difficulties of stockpiling fresh foods as it revealed a rise in Christmas sales today.

The revelation comes as the government ramps up its planning for a no-deal Brexit ahead of a vote on Prime Minister Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement next week.

In December Downing Street confirmed that government departments would be expected to make no-deal planning their priority.

Read more: Passing May's Brexit deal would make sterling surge, says JP Morgan

Brexit secretary Steven Barclay said the government’s focus was on securing a deal but “alongside that, as part of our continuation of preparing for no-deal, a responsible government needs to ensure we are ready for that default option, which we don’t want to happen, but we’re ready in the event it did happen”.