10 UK Export News You Might’ve Missed – Week 8
(Export News from Expordite is also published on LinkedIn)
In this edition of Export News with Expordite, we’ll cover top 10 UK export news and headlines from week 8 of 2023 – February 20-26.
General Export Update
1. New sanctions ban every item Russia is using on the battlefield
“Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has today (24 February) announced a new package of internationally co-ordinated sanctions and trade measures, including export bans on every item Russia has been found using on the battlefield to date.
Included in the hundreds of goods are aircraft parts, radio equipment, and electronic components that can be used by the Russian military industrial complex, including in the production of UAVs.”
Source: GOV.uk
2. Protocol: Hopes raised for Brexit deal on Northern Ireland
“A deal on post-Brexit rules for Northern Ireland could be announced in the coming days, UK and EU sources have indicated to the BBC.
It comes after plans to sign off an agreement between the two sides earlier this week were delayed.
Developments are said to be moving “hour-by-hour” – and a deal could still fail to materialise.”
Source: BBC
3. What lies ahead – challenges for UK trade in 2023
“The challenges facing UK exporters in 2023 are significant and it will take a concerted effort by our global network, working alongside the UK Government, to positively shift the dial.
In 2022, exports increased by 6.7%, once the effect of inflation was removed, but this is still less than the value of goods and services the UK sold overseas in 2018.
There were also warning signs in the data for the last quarter of 2022, with UK exports falling by 2.9% as economic headwinds continued to blow.
For 2022, as a whole, the total annual trade balance in goods and services, excluding precious metals, widened by £85.3 billion to a deficit of £108 billion, when compared with 2021.”
Source: British Chamber of Commerce
4. Trade-boosting North America Roadshow visits 12 UK cities in 12 days
“A trade-boosting roadshow will visit 12 UK cities in 12 days to help British businesses up and down the country increase their exports to North America.
Organised by the Department for Business and Trade, the events will include a series of presentations and interactive sessions run by trade experts and sector specialists, including His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner Emma Wade-Smith who is usually based in New York.
They will run from Monday 27 February to Friday 10 March and will visit twelve cities across the country, including Manchester, Edinburgh and Cardiff, to highlight the support available for UK businesses looking to sell to consumers across the pond.”
Source: GOV.uk
UK Food Exports News
5. AHDB launches Horizon work to explore UK export opportunities
“The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has launched its latest Horizon work, which explores opportunities for UK exports.
The analysis, called ‘Prospects for UK agri-food exports’, explores consumption trends in different countries, market access requirements, consumer trends in key regions as well as in-depth analysis of the UK’s competitors.”
Source: Agriland
6. British food & drink competitiveness with EU ‘falls’ post-Brexit
“Almost half of food and drink manufacturers in the UK claim their competitiveness with the EU has fallen in the past year, The Grocer can reveal.
The findings have emerged in an industry survey by the FDF which claims continued challenges with post-Brexit border checks and bureaucracy, as well as the saga over the Northern Ireland protocol, are among the key issues holding back trade.
Whilst the survey showed food and drink manufacturers were more optimistic than they had been since Q3 in 2021, overall it found the industry expected business conditions for Q1 in 2023 to “remain the same or worsen”.
Source: The Grocer
7. Gin exports bounce back, but Brexit and Covid ‘double whammy’ leaves EU trailing
“HMRC’s 2022 gin export and import figures revealed that Brazil, Argentina and Chile have led the way, with some strong growth in parts of Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and North Africa.
The total value of UK gin exports rose by £189.4 million to £730.9 million in 2022, up by more than one third on 2021’s exports, and exceeding 2019 pre-pandemic exports by 9%.
However, as highlighted by The Gin Guild, which “crunched” the HMRC figures, the “double whammy of Covid-19 and Brexit” continues to be felt, as exports to the EU are still 4% below 2019, with Spain (down one third) and Ireland seeing the biggest falls, and only gradually creeping back up. “
Source: Harpers Wine
8. Fortnum & Mason chief urges Sunak to agree Northern Ireland trade deal
“Tom Athron, chief executive of Fortnum & Mason, has urged Rishi Sunak’s government to seal a deal with Brussels on post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland, saying that without the agreement it is “almost impossible” for food retailers to export to the EU.
Source: FT
UK Fashion & Textile Exports News
9. UK recyclers defend textile exports over plastic waste claims
“The Textile Recycling Association (TRA) has rebutted claims that large quantities of recyclable used clothes are being sent to Kenya from the UK and EU.
Campaign group Changing Markets said in a report Trashion that export of used clothing was, to a large extent, simply the export of plastic waste, since more than one-third of used clothing shipped to Kenya contained plastic and immediately became waste.
It said that, in 2021, more than 900 million items of used clothing went to Kenya, of which 458 million were estimated to be have been waste.”
Source: MRW
10. Top British brands embark on first UK fashion and beauty sales mission to India
“Top UK brands are this week travelling to India on a mission to capitalise on its rapidly growing demand for high-end fashion and beauty products.
A delegation including British success stories such as Lush and luxury knitwear brand John Smedley will travel to India Fashion Forum 2023, the nation’s leading international trade fair, in Bengaluru.
The trade mission is the first of its kind and has been organised by the Department for Business and Trade to help British brands showcase their expertise in luxury, heritage and innovation to potential buyers and distributers.”
Source: GOV.uk
Want to stay on top of the latest UK export news and our updates?
