British Food and Drink Exports to EU Collapse by Over a Third Since 2026

British food and drink exports to the EU have collapsed by more than a third since Brexit, according to new analysis that lays bare the scale of the trade damage facing UK producers. The National Farmers' Union (NFU) examined HMRC data and found a sharp fall in exports in the year to July compared with the same period in 2019, with some categories losing the majority of their EU trade.

The figures underline how the UK's largest trading partner for agri-food has become harder to reach for many exporters, despite the EU accounting for 68% of agri-food exports last year.

Which British Food Exports Have Been Hit Hardest?

The NFU's sector-by-sector breakdown shows the pain is not evenly spread. Sugar exports fell 70%, the steepest decline of any category, while poultry exports dropped 53% and eggs and egg products used by confectionery and baking industries fell 65% in the first seven months of the year.

Full-year data from 2019 to 2025 paints an even starker picture for some products. Exports of eggs and egg products are down 74% over the period, with chicken and potato producers also badly affected.

Why Brexit Paperwork Is Crippling Food Exporters

Food exporters have long complained about the added paperwork that Britain's exit from the EU has brought. Since Brexit, all food exports require customs documentation with different commodity codes, and each additional form adds cost and delay to perishable shipments.

NFU president Tom Bradshaw said: "The EU is our largest trading partner for agri-food products, accounting for 68% of agri-food exports last year, but trade volumes have fallen over a third since 2019." The cumulative effect has been a steady erosion of market share for British producers who once shipped freely across the Channel.

Key Takeaways for UK Food Producers

• EU trade remains vital: nearly seven in ten agri-food export pounds still come from the EU.
• Paperwork is the bottleneck: customs codes and certification slow perishable goods.
• Some sectors face existential declines: sugar, eggs and poultry have lost the most ground.
• Policy is shifting: Labour's red lines on EU membership are under renewed scrutiny.

The Wider Economic Cost of Brexit

Boris Johnson's government signed the UK's future trading and security deal with the EU in late 2020, after the UK's formal exit earlier that year. Economists estimate the cost to the UK economy has reached up to £240bn so far, a figure that gives context to the NFU's export numbers.

Pressure to repair that damage is now coming from inside Westminster. Andy Burnham is reconsidering Labour's red lines on EU membership as calls grow for a closer trading relationship, particularly for sectors such as food and farming that depend on frictionless borders.

What Could Change for Food and Drink Exports?

Any thaw in UK-EU relations would likely focus first on reducing border friction rather than rejoining the single market. For exporters, even modest improvements in customs processing and mutual recognition of standards could restore meaningful volumes.

For now, the NFU data stands as one of the clearest signals yet that Brexit's trade costs are concentrated in the industries least able to absorb them.

FAQ