Drop in goods exports to the UK likely caused by tariffs says Chamber

A fall of 13.5% in goods exported from the UK to the US over the last year could be a result of recent tariffs, East Midlands Chamber has said.

The figures recently published by the Office for National Statistics for Q2 of 2025, compared with the same quarter a year ago, show a drop of £2bn, while export of goods to EU countries fell 2.1% in June.

East Midlands Chamber Head of International Trade Lucy Granger said: “The on-off and fluctuating tariffs imposed on the UK for export into the US this year were widely anticipated to have some impact on export to the US and while those tariffs cannot be conclusively proved as the reason, they will have almost certainly disrupted export. 

“While trading across the Atlantic stole most of the headlines around tariffs, the headaches exporters go through trading to other countries should not be overlooked.  The burden of required paperwork involved in getting goods into EU countries is an obstacle for exporters that takes time and adds unnecessary costs.

“Some welcome interventions to help exporters were announced in the government’s recently published Trade Strategy, like pledged support for SMEs and investment into UK Export Finance but firms will want to see the measures work in practice and detail on the implementation is still needed.

“The Chamber’s International Trade Department stands ready to support firms looking to trade overseas, simplifying the process.”