Christmas food deliveries could be affected by disruptions following the launch of a new scheme which looks to tighten EU border checks, a trade group has warned.

The rules require all non-EU passengers at Dover to have facial recognition and fingerprint checks, and according to Logistics UK, this could create congestion and disrupt the flow of goods, The Telegraph reported.

The Entry/Exit System (EES) is due to be rolled out on 10 November and calculations from Imperial College London have found that every extra minute it takes to process a car, it could add around 10 miles to queues.

According to evidence given to parliament by Ashford council in January, in the worst circumstances, this could cause 14-hour delays for passengers.

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Logistics UK, which is calling for a nationwide publicity campaign to prevent disruption, added that the changes could affect food, at a time when Britain moves into winter and relies more heavily on imported goods.

Last year, Dover and Eurotunnel handled 54% of all UK trade with continental Europe, with the majority of imported products including meat, vegetables, fruit, dairy, honey and eggs.

The trade group also estimates that the cost of border delays at £1.30 a minute with 14-hour delays involving an extra cost of £1,100 per truck, which will then be passed down to consumers.

Logistics UK head of trade Nichola Mallon told The Telegraph: “If the EES is implemented as planned, I’m afraid we’re facing huge upheaval in the supply chain.

“The government needs to take the lead now on raising awareness among the public, managing their expectations and signposting where they can go for advice.”