We’re back with The Brief. Your quick read of the latest stories shaping the landscape of supply chain and logistics.

And welcome to our first edition of 2026.

As the year gets underway, supply chain leaders are already juggling the familiar priorities of cost control, compliance, resilience, and workforce planning, while new policy and operational changes start to take shape in the world.

We’re looking at what’s already moving early in the year: new post-Budget investment incentives, the direction of travel on decarbonising road freight, fresh momentum around regional infrastructure, and the continued shift towards more digital, data-led customs processes.

New post-Budget investment tax relief (now live)

From 1 January 2026, the UK government has introduced a 40% first-year allowance for qualifying plant and machinery investment. The aim is to encourage businesses to invest in productivity, helping firms bring forward tax relief when upgrading equipment used in day-to-day operations.

What this means for you:

This is a helpful incentive if you’re planning upgrades in 2026, such as warehouse kit, production machinery, automation, or other operational assets. Even if investment isn’t on the immediate agenda, it’s useful context for finance and ops teams mapping out budgets and timelines. In many supply chains, the biggest wins come from small, steady improvements that add up over time.

Zero-emission HGV consultation opens

The UK government has launched a consultation on accelerating the shift towards zero-emission HGVs (ZE-HGVs), as part of the wider plan to decarbonise freight transport. The consultation is open until 17 March 2026 and covers possible timelines, infrastructure readiness, and what support operators may need to make the transition achievable

What this means for you:

This isn’t a switch that happens overnight. But it’s another sign that fleet strategy is becoming a longer-term business decision, not just a sustainability conversation. For logistics leaders, it’s worth thinking about what your pathway could look like over the next few years: routes, depot infrastructure, supplier expectations, and how costs might evolve. Even starting with a clearer view of your biggest emissions hotspots can make future decisions much easier.

Northern rail growth plans and logistics opportunity

Logistics UK has welcomed the latest updates to the Northern Powerhouse Rail vision, highlighting the potential benefits for freight and logistics. The industry body has stressed that stronger rail connectivity, and infrastructure designed with freight in mind, could support growth across the North and encourage more movement from road to rail where it makes sense.

What this means for you:

Infrastructure changes can feel slow to land, but they shape the long-term reality of capacity, congestion, and access to talent. For supply chain leaders operating nationally, it’s a useful reminder that regional connectivity matters. Especially when it comes to transport reliability and distribution reach. It’s also worth watching where investment flows, particularly if it influences future site decisions, network planning, or customer coverage.

EU customs compliance stack for 2026

2026 is bringing a more complex EU customs and compliance landscape, with several requirements converging. This includes the rollout of Import Control System 2 (ICS2), the active Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), and continued due diligence expectations under the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). For businesses moving goods into the EU, this puts more focus on accurate reporting and clean shipment-level data.

What this means for you:

This is less about “more paperwork” and more about how smoothly your data moves between your systems, your partners, and the border. If you trade with the EU, it’s worth checking how ready your teams, customs agents and freight partners are, especially around data quality and who owns what in the process. Staying ahead of these changes tends to reduce disruption later, particularly during peak periods or when exceptions pop up.

Better visibility of customs declaration data

New digital services are being introduced to give UK businesses free access to their customs declaration data ahead of major customs changes in 2026. This extra visibility is intended to help businesses improve compliance, reduce errors, and better understand how customs information is captured and submitted across the supply chain.

What this means for you:

Having clearer access to customs data is a real advantage, especially if you rely on third parties and don’t always have full visibility of what’s being submitted on your behalf. For supply chain and operations leaders, it’s an opportunity to tighten up processes, reduce avoidable delays, and build confidence in compliance. Often, the biggest gains come from getting the basics right: cleaner data, fewer errors, and clearer ownership.

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We’ll be back in two weeks with The Brief. Until then, feel free to share this with your team or let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to explore next.

Till next time,

The MVP Recruitment & Talent Solutions Team