Just asking from this side of the pond.
- Thread starter Xring3
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SweeneyTodd
Forum GOD!
I don't suppose that anyone has the foggiest idea at the moment, and of course nothing will change until 31st December (if then). I stress that these are my own views and opinions.
To answer your second question, speaking personally, I occasionally buy shaving things from EU suppliers, mainly in Spain, The Netherlands and sometimes Italy, but nowadays, if I buy overseas, it's usually RAD for razors from USA and Canadian suppliers.
Generally, other than the UK own-brand makes (TOBS, Truefitt, Trumpers etc.), most shaving suppliers carry goods from the EU. For example, shipping "dangerous" goods such as alcohol-based splashes, EDT etc. is far easier from the EU than outside it, and Proraso products are near-ubiquitous. In summary, I have no idea exactly how much comes from there, but it cannot be a small amount.
Now, to the possible effects on cost. As you may know, supplies from within the EU are VAT-able from the supplier, and the price we pay here includes the VAT, which isn't usually split out. Exports from EU to non-EU countries do not attract EU VAT at source, and, in theory, we should not in future have to pay it in the all-up price charged. However, when I buy things over the £15 VAT threshold from North America, the HMRC people here bung 20% VAT on both goods and carriage, and I can't see this changing, as it's Government "money for old rope".
I guess they might then start charging VAT as a 20% (or other) addition to the net value EU goods. As noted, the EU prices we pay already include VAT, so in theory there shouldn't be any difference. Of course, some countries in the EU have different VAT rates (Germany at 19%, I believe), so in a "UK VAT on net EU goods" scenario, we might be charged a 20% UK rate addition against a 19% German all-in price.
The next area is duties/tariffs. Most non-EU shaving supplies are of a value below that at which import duties are charged, and EU imports aren't dutiable at the moment. This is the area where there could be some big changes, but it's far too early (or late, depending on how one views it) to make any forecasts. I venture to suggest that the outcome of the next USA Presidential election may be a big influence on the whole question of tariffs, and how they affect us, the EU and the rest of the world.
There are innumerable factors in play here during the UK-EU trade negotiations, which may be the desired "quid pro quo", and a lot depends on what transpires regarding trade in the other direction, from UK to EU. My own feeling is that, unless there is a major bust-up, most of it in this particular area of goods will be cobbled together so that, as individual purchasers, we may see few changes.