British shoppers should still be able to buy Anchor butters and spreads despite the European Commission's decision to suspend imports of the brand in a row over licences.

A spokesman for EU agriculture commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel warned that import licences would have to be made available to importers in other member states in future.

Arla Foods, which is the sole importer of Anchor butter in the EU, said it had enough produce stockpiled to keep Anchor on shelves until after Christmas.

Chief executive Tim Smith said: "We are very confident that supplies will not be affected. The ruling is an administrative one and has not imposed any restrictions on supplies from the region."

Arla said it had received some emails from consumers and was reassuring them on supply fears.

But the maker of Anchor products - New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra - has protested at the "extraordinary" decision to suspend EU imports, which affects 25% of its export business.

Chairman Henry van der Heyden said: "It is ridiculous for the Commission to react by stopping all trade while they decide what to do next."

But Fischer Boel said she had to act after a judge at the European Court ruled the current system of handing out import licences to be illegal, because only British companies could take advantage of lower tariff rates.

The arrangement applies to 77,000 tonnes of butter each year and stems from the fact that no other EU country imported New Zealand butter when the UK joined the Common Market in 1973.

Following talks with New Zealand trade minister Phil Goff, the EU is allowing Britain to import 20,000 tonnes of butter already earmarked for shipment under the old system.

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