Food exports (% of merchandise exports) in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Food exports (% of merchandise exports) was 6.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Food exports in United Kingdom, 1962–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for food exports in United Kingdom is 6.7%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 8.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food exports in United Kingdom peaked at 8.1% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 4.6%, in 2006.
United Kingdom ranks 149th of 196 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 64 years of available data.
Food exports (% of merchandise exports) in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 6.0% | — |
| 1963 | 6.5% | +7.9% |
| 1964 | 6.8% | +5.1% |
| 1965 | 6.5% | -5.0% |
| 1966 | 6.6% | +2.5% |
| 1967 | 6.7% | +1.3% |
| 1968 | 6.6% | -2.2% |
| 1969 | 6.0% | -7.8% |
| 1970 | 6.5% | +7.8% |
| 1971 | 6.5% | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 6.9% | +5.7% |
| 1973 | 7.2% | +4.2% |
| 1974 | 6.7% | -7.4% |
| 1975 | 7.4% | +10.7% |
| 1976 | 6.8% | -8.3% |
| 1977 | 6.9% | +2.4% |
| 1978 | 8.0% | +15.3% |
| 1979 | 7.1% | -11.4% |
| 1980 | 6.8% | -4.3% |
| 1981 | 7.3% | +8.5% |
| 1982 | 7.3% | -1.1% |
| 1983 | 7.2% | -1.3% |
| 1984 | 6.9% | -4.0% |
| 1985 | 6.6% | -4.1% |
| 1986 | 7.9% | +19.7% |
| 1987 | 7.4% | -5.7% |
| 1988 | 6.9% | -6.8% |
| 1989 | 7.1% | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 7.0% | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 8.0% | +13.7% |
| 1992 | 8.1% | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 7.7% | -4.9% |
| 1994 | 7.6% | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 7.6% | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 7.0% | -7.8% |
| 1997 | 6.6% | -5.3% |
| 1998 | 6.4% | -3.7% |
| 1999 | 6.1% | -5.0% |
| 2000 | 5.3% | -13.1% |
| 2001 | 5.1% | -3.6% |
| 2002 | 5.4% | +6.0% |
| 2003 | 5.9% | +9.3% |
| 2004 | 5.7% | -3.9% |
| 2005 | 5.1% | -9.8% |
| 2006 | 4.6% | -9.2% |
| 2007 | 5.5% | +18.3% |
| 2008 | 5.5% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 6.5% | +18.2% |
| 2010 | 6.1% | -5.6% |
| 2011 | 5.9% | -3.3% |
| 2012 | 6.2% | +4.6% |
| 2013 | 5.6% | -8.9% |
| 2014 | 6.4% | +12.8% |
| 2015 | 6.2% | -2.9% |
| 2016 | 6.8% | +10.7% |
| 2017 | 6.6% | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 6.3% | -4.7% |
| 2019 | 6.7% | +5.3% |
| 2020 | 7.6% | +14.3% |
| 2021 | 6.4% | -15.7% |
| 2022 | 6.2% | -3.7% |
| 2023 | 6.5% | +5.9% |
| 2024 | 6.7% | +1.8% |
| 2025 | 6.7% | +0.6% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 6.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 11.3%, 60% of the median. (71 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 6.7% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 12.8%, 52% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.5% | 6.0% | 6.8% | 8 |
| 1970s | 7.0% | 6.5% | 8.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.1% | 6.6% | 7.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.2% | 6.1% | 8.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.5% | 4.6% | 6.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.3% | 5.6% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.7% | 6.2% | 7.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More private sector data for United Kingdom
- Merchandise trade 37.6% (2025)
- Food imports 9.8% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 56.7% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 948.64 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 448.00 billion current US$ (2025)
- Manufactures exports 59.7% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 555.83 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 714.60 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 7,999 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1389 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food exports in United Kingdom?
- Food exports in United Kingdom was 6.7% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food exports recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 8.1% in 1992.
- What is the lowest food exports recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.6% in 2006.
- How does United Kingdom rank for food exports?
- United Kingdom ranks 149th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is food exports rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Food exports (% of merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Food comprises the commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) sections 0 (food and live animals), 1 (beverages and tobacco), and 4 (animal and vegetable oils and fats) and division 22 (oil seeds, oil nuts, and oil kernels). This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise exports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a resident and a non-resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.