The UK government has initiated a public consultation on potential retaliatory tariffs against the United States, publishing a comprehensive 417-page list of American goods that could be impacted. The consultation aims to gauge the potential effects of such tariffs on British businesses and seeks feedback from industry stakeholders before any measures are implemented.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) emphasized that businesses are encouraged to provide insights on how tariffs would affect them.

“UK companies are being invited to give their views on what any future UK response should look like by providing feedback to questions asking them the average value of their US imports, the impact of any possible UK tariffs, and how they would adjust to them.”
Department for Business and Trade

However, the presence of an item on the extensive list does not guarantee that it will be subject to tariffs. The government has reassured the public that it will not impose tariffs on essential products, such as medical supplies and military equipment.

The consultation period will last for four weeks, concluding on Thursday, May 1. However, there is no fixed timeline for a decision. “Once the request for input closes, the government will reflect on the feedback and consider how best to respond,” the DBT stated.

Officials stress that imposing tariffs remains a “last resort” and that UK ministers are still striving to reach a trade agreement with the US to reduce or eliminate current tariffs imposed on British goods. However, tensions persist, particularly over food standards.

US officials have indicated that the UK must lift its ban on chlorine-washed chicken to secure relief from existing American trade tariffs. A White House statement accompanying the tariff announcement criticized British food safety regulations, stating, “The UK maintains non-science-based standards that severely restrict US exports of safe, high-quality beef and poultry products.”

The US has long argued that the UK’s ban on chlorinated chicken is a non-tariff trade barrier that unfairly limits American agricultural exports. Meanwhile, Downing Street has reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining stringent food standards, rejecting the notion of lifting the ban.

UK Stands Firm on Food Safety Standards

Despite US pressure, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government has reiterated its stance against allowing chlorine-washed chicken into the UK. The Prime Minister’s spokesperson reaffirmed Britain’s commitment to food safety regulations.

“Our position on that is unchanged. You’ve got the manifesto commitment on food standards, which obviously remains.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesperson

This stance aligns with previous comments from Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who in November 2024 assured British farmers that the UK would not “allow British farmers to be undercut by different rules and regulations in other countries.”

Chlorine-washed chicken, commonly referred to as chlorinated chicken, is poultry that has been treated with chlorine dioxide to eliminate bacteria. While small doses of chlorine itself are not considered harmful, critics argue that the process is indicative of lower hygiene standards in the US poultry industry.

A 2014 report by US non-profit Consumer Reports found that 97% of 300 American chicken breasts tested contained harmful bacteria, including Salmonella, Campylobacter, and E. coli. Additionally, nearly half of the samples contained at least one strain of bacteria resistant to three or more antibiotics.

According to the European Commission, excessive consumption of chlorinated chicken — equivalent to 5% of one’s body weight in a single day — could result in exposure to harmful levels of chlorate, a chemical compound linked to health risks.

Public opposition to US poultry imports remains strong. A 2020 poll indicated that 80% of Britons oppose lifting the ban on chlorinated chicken, with an equal percentage against allowing hormone-treated chicken into the UK.

With mounting pressure from the farming industry and consumer advocacy groups, the government faces increasing calls to stand firm against any trade concessions that could compromise food safety standards or undercut British farmers. As trade negotiations unfold, the debate over tariffs and food standards is expected to remain a contentious issue in UK-US trade relations.