The UK's food and drink trade deficit reached £21 billion in the first half of 2026, marking its highest point since 2000. This increase is attributed to a decline in exports due to Brexit complications, Middle East conflicts affecting sales to the UAE, and US tariffs impacting transatlantic trade. Meanwhile, imports from outside the EU surged by over 20% since 2023, partly because of new trade deals like those with Australia. Industry leaders are calling for government action to protect domestic food production amid concerns about national security and economic resilience.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-25,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The UK's food and drink trade deficit reached over £21bn in 2026, marking its highest level since 2000 according to the Food & Drink Federation (FDF). This significant increase is attributed to a combination of Brexit-related complications, ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, and US tariffs. UK food and drink export volumes dropped by 11.7% in the first half of 2026 to 4bn kg, barely surpassing levels seen during the peak of the COVID pandemic and the aftermath of the 2001 foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. Exports to both the EU and non-EU countries declined, with exports to the UAE plummeting by nearly a quarter due to the US-Israel conflict in Iran. Meanwhile, imports from outside the EU surged more than a fifth since 2023, driven largely by increased trade with Australia, which now sends 25% more goods to the UK compared to the previous year. Industry leaders view this trend as a critical warning for government action to safeguard domestic food production and ensure national security.
Written for “UK Food Trade Deficit Records” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
The gap between Britain’s food and drink exports and imports has neared its highest this century, as a combination of Brexit, war in the Middle East and US tariffs dented deliveries overseas while imports soared.
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imports → near → deliveries
The UK’s food and drink trade deficit has risen to more than £21bn – the largest since 2000 – in what industry leaders said was a “wake-up call” for the government to protect homegrown produce in the interest of national security.
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government → rise → security
UK food and drink export volumes fell by more than a tenth (11.7%) in the first half of 2026 to 4bn kg, only marginally above levels at the height of the Covid pandemic and in the aftermath of the 2001 foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, according to analysis by the Food & Drink Federation (FDF).
uncertain
volumes → fall → Federation
Exports to the EU continued to fall – down 0.9% in value – amid the additional costs and complexity of trading since Brexit.
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Exports → continue → Brexit
The FDF recorded an even larger fall in exports beyond the EU – down 6.9% in value terms.
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FDF → record → terms
That was partly driven by disruption in sales to the Middle East, with exports to the UAE down by almost a quarter as a result of the US-Israel war on Iran.
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exports → drive → Iran
The US’s introduction of a 10% import tariff hit cross-Atlantic sales by 16.5%.
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introduction → hit → %
Food and drink imports were 19.1bn kg in the first half of this year, the second highest ever, only beaten by the same period last year.
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imports → beat → period
Imports from outside the EU are up more than a fifth since 2023 as restrictions have been eased through trade deals, particularly with Australia which now sends 25% more in value terms to the UK than a year ago including meat, oils, vegetables and even whisky.
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which → ease → meat
The suspension of tariffs on a range of manufactured foods, including chocolate and biscuits, this year as part of the former chancellor Rachel Reeves’s package to ease the cost of living has also raised import levels.
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suspension → manufacture → levels
In addition, EU food producers increased deliveries to the UK in value terms – up 0.8% year-on-year – having recovered in volume terms since Brexit.
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producers → increase → Brexit
Tom Bradshaw, the president of the National Farmers’ Union of England and Wales, said: “These figures should be a wake-up call.
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figures → say → England
At a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty, we cannot afford to take our food production capacity for granted.”
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we → grow → capacity
He said the widening trade deficit underlined the need for a long-term plan to support British production and recognise “a simple truth that food security is national security”.
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security → say → truth
“The pressures facing farm businesses are immense, from rising costs and regulatory burdens to extreme weather and global market volatility,” said Bradshaw.
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Bradshaw → face → weather
“If government is serious about food security, economic growth and national resilience, it must create the conditions that give businesses the confidence to invest, innovate and grow.”
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that → create → confidence
The FDF, which represents hundreds of food and beverage producers, said pressures on manufacturers were “significant and growing” as the cost of energy, ingredients, transport, packaging and labour continued to rise.
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cost → represent → energy
It said changing regulation also added to pressures on the industry.
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regulation → say → industry
Karen Betts, the chief executive of the trade body, said: “Our food and drink trade deficit is growing and is now the largest it’s been in over 25 years.
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it → say → years
In a world beset by conflict and the ever-increasing impacts of climate change, this poses some stark questions about our food security.
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this → beset → security
“When the government then chooses to remove tariffs on, for example, biscuits imported from China, it’s not surprising that they’ll be sold more cheaply here than biscuits made in the UK
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they → choose → UK
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