Food and drink exports from the UK to the EU have dropped by almost a quarter in the past five years compared to the corresponding period before Brexit.
The findings were revealed in a trade report from the UK’s Food & Drink Federation (FDF), which suggests exports have declined 23.4% in the last five years.
Exports to some key EU markets have dropped sharply, according to the latest Trade Snapshot figures.
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Food and drink shipments to Germany fell 59.1% between 2021 and 2025 compared to the five years to 2020, the report showed. Exports to Poland dropped 51.9% and those to Belgium decreased 39.9%.
Karen Betts, CEO of the FDF, said: “At a time when food and drink businesses are facing rising production costs, regulatory pressures, and weak consumer confidence at home, easing barriers to trade and growing our exports could not be more important.
“We’ve seen exports to the rest of the world outpace the EU in the last year, and there’s much more government can do to work with exporters, particularly SMEs, to ensure we maintain that momentum.”
Global food and drink exports have increased by 5.8% in the first three quarters of 2025, led by growth in non-EU exports, which have risen 6.2% year-on-year in value terms, the FDF said.
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By GlobalDataA new Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU will be a “positive step” in cutting “cost and complexity” in the post-Brexit environment, it added.
In November, the European Council authorised negotiations with the UK for a deal to create a common SPS zone and link their so-called Emissions Trading Systems (ETS) for greenhouse gas emissions.
The aim of the SPS zone is to reduce checks on agri-food products moving between the EU and UK.
The two sides agreed to work towards simplifying the cross-border trade of food and drinks during a summit held in May.
At the time, the UK government said: “Some routine checks on animal and plant products will be removed completely, allowing goods to flow freely again, including between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Ultimately this could lower food prices and increase choice on supermarket shelves.”
However, the FDF warned in its report that such measures will not remove all barriers and will require “renewed support” for businesses as they adjust.
The trade body is calling for clear transition periods and timelines so firms can adapt and to ensure the deal “delivers on its potential”.
It also stressed the SPS agreement is just “one part of the puzzle”, urging “complementary” policies on packaging and labelling and continued help with customs procedures.
“A new SPS deal with the EU will help remove barriers to trade with our largest trading partner,” Betts said. “But the SPS agreement isn’t a silver bullet and government will need to work closely with industry to ensure it works for business.”
While EU exports have declined, global food export volumes are up, driven by non-EU markets, revealed the report.
UK food exports to countries outside the EU have risen 6.2% year-on-year in value, with shipments to India up 9.6% and to Gulf Cooperation Council countries up 6.3%.
Imports from non-EU countries have climbed 17.1% year-on-year, pushing total food and drink imports into the UK to £49.6bn ($66.2bn) so far this year.
The FDF said it wants to work with the UK government to grow food and drink exports to £35bn by 2035 while protecting supply chain resilience.
This includes “prioritising” the SPS deal, while ensuring that the talks do not jeopardise progress in building new global customers and ingredient suppliers, it said.
With new trade agreements expected with the GCC and an improved deal with South Korea already announced, the FDF is calling for more support for UK suppliers, especially SMEs.
This includes a £2.6m fund to promote global export opportunities and British products abroad, which would “replicate” Scottish and Welsh schemes focused on SME exporters and targeted trade shows.
Betts added: “We’re calling on government to work with us on a ten-year export growth plan, backed by £2.6m of government funds to help businesses expand to new markets.
“This will support the government’s ‘number one’ growth mission, as well as building the resilience and competitiveness of UK food and drink manufacturing.”
