The UK trade data for April 2025, published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), shows a fall in exports to both the EU and non-EU countries.
Available HERE, the report highlights that exports of goods to the United States fell by £2 billion in the month under review, which the ONS believes is probably linked to the implementation of tariffs on goods imported to the US.
The total goods and services trade deficit widened by £4.9 billion to £11.5 billion in the three months to April 2025 because of a larger rise in imports than exports although a rise in imports from the EU was offset by a fall in imports from non-EU countries.
Reacting to the publication, British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Head of Trade Policy, William Bain, said: “It’s clear there was significant front loading of goods exports to the US before April as firms looked to cushion the impact of tariffs. We should always be cautious about reading too much into a single month’s data, but goods exports fell by 14.6% in value terms, compared with April 2024.”
With goods exports values to the US having fallen by almost a third between March and April, this represents the largest monthly drop on record since 1997.
The BCC notes that, from early April, tariffs on car exports to the US rose to 27.5%. Other sectors, from chemicals to food to industrial products to clothing, saw additional 10% tariffs applied to UK exports. Steel and aluminium tariffs of 25% have applied to primary and derivative products of UK origin since 12 March 2025.
British Chambers of Commerce
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) sits at the heart of a business network that spans the length and breadth of the UK, with links to markets across the world.
