Brexit: ‘New GPSR trade rules make my world smaller’

The rule change applies to Great Britain products going to Northern Ireland because Northern Ireland’s Brexit deal means it is still effectively in the EU’s single market for goods.

Weirdstock, which sells bedding, is among those which has decided to pause shipping to the EU and Northern Ireland.

Ms Haughey, who is originally from County Armagh, informed her customers on social media.

“As many of you know I am from Northern Ireland, Weirdstock has a wee customer base there so I am finding this particularly frustrating.

“But at the same time I am determined to find a solution,” she wrote.

Like many small business owners she only recently found out about the implications of GPSR via a social media post and has been scrambling to work out how to comply.

She said her Northern Ireland connection may potentially make it easier for her to find an agent but there are other challenges.

The new requirements include the need to provide documentation to demonstrate the safety of your product.

“There is no template for that, no guidance. It is very hard to find information on that,” she said.

She is hoping that because her textile supplier in India is certified by global sustainability bodies it means the safety and traceability evidence will be there, but for now she is not clear exactly what she has to provide.

“Hopefully I will be in a better position than other people because I have those certifications already,” she added.