Many companies are drawing up stockpiling strategies for a no - deal period on 31 March , anticipating the increase in demand that usually precedes Christmas . Prime Minister Theresa May and other European leaders prevented the United Kingdom leaving the European Union without a deal last week by agreeing to delay Brexit by six months until October 31, 2019. One of the country 's largest beer companies expects to stock two to three times as much as it did in the run - up to 29 March , while clothing retailers will need extra warehouse space to store bulkier winter clothing and to store previously stockpiled excess spring clothing . Additionally , pharmaceutical companies will require larger stocks of certain medicines , given the higher frequency of illnesses over the winter . British companies have already spent billions in no - deal planning for 29 March .
Many companies are drawing up stockpiling strategies for a no - deal period on 31 March , anticipating the increase in demand that usually precedes Christmas . One of the country 's largest beer companies expects to stock two to three times as much as it did in the run - up to 29 March , while clothing retailers will need extra warehouse space to store bulkier winter clothing and to store previously stockpiled excess spring clothing . Additionally , pharmaceutical companies will require larger stocks of certain medicines , given the higher frequency of illnesses over the winter . British companies have already spent billions in no - deal planning for 29 March .