UK food and drink exports to the EU have plummeted by over a third since Brexit, with industry leaders blaming excessive bureaucracy for the decline.
According to the latest report by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), export volumes fell by 34.1% in 2024 compared to 2019, dropping to 6.37 billion kilograms.
The report highlights that while iconic British products such as whisky, chocolate and cheese remain popular in Europe, the overall volume of food and drink exported to the EU has significantly declined due to post-Brexit trading rules and increased red tape.
The FDF emphasised that this sharp fall is not part of a global trend, as other European nations like Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands have seen their export volumes rise during the same period.
In contrast, the UK’s global food export volumes between 2020-2024 are nearly 20% lower than they were between 2015-2019, highlighting the unique challenges faced by British businesses post-Brexit.
Despite the decline, the EU remains the UK’s most crucial trading partner, accounting for 61.8% of total food and drink exports and 75.6% of imports, worth nearly £45 billion in 2024.
However, UK businesses exporting to the EU are facing stricter checks and complex paperwork, while EU imports into Britain are subject to fewer restrictions.
The report reveals that smaller UK food and drink businesses are being hit hardest, as they struggle to meet the EU’s “stringent” requirements.
The FDF has urged the UK government to work with the food and drink sector to remove unnecessary trade barriers and help struggling businesses regain access to the EU market.
“These latest figures show the stark reality for the UK’s 12,500 food and drink businesses who are struggling to deal with the complexity and bureaucracy that comes when trading with Europe,” said Balwinder Dhoot, the director of industry growth and sustainability at the FDF.
“Government must prioritise working with the EU, and our industry, to remove as many of these barriers as possible.”
The Department for Business and Trade has yet to respond to the FDF’s findings.
