UK Food Exports Fall 12% in First Half as US Tariffs Bite, Deficit Hits 25-Year High
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UK food exports fell 12% year on year in the first half of 2026, hitting their lowest first-half level since 2021, as they were hit by US tariff measures. Data from the Food and Drink Federation, or FDF, showed that imports remained close to the record high set last year, leaving the UK increasingly dependent on food from abroad. The UK's food and drink trade deficit reached 21.1 billion pounds, or 27.9 billion US dollars, the highest in more than 25 years. Karen Betts, chief executive of the FDF, said in a statement that the figures raise important questions about the UK's food security, amid conflict and the growing impact of climate change. US tariff measures cut UK food and drink sales in the US market by 17%, while conflict with Iran reduced exports to Middle Eastern markets such as the United Arab Emirates by nearly 25%. Among key products, UK salmon exports in the first six months of 2026 fell by nearly a third, while milk and cream exports fell 13% by value. The FDF called on the UK government to step up investment in the food industry by cutting red tape and making tax exemptions more beneficial to domestic food producers.