UK food and drink exports fell by £2.7billion – a contraction of 15.9% – in the first three quarters of 2021, compared to pre-pandemic levels.
According to the UK Food and Drink Federation, this was mainly because of a drop in sales to the EU of £2.4bn (-23.7%), possibly resulting from new trde barriers and the ongoing effects of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.
Exports to the main markets including Germany (down 44.5%), Italy (down 43.3%), and Spain (down 50.6%) have been particularly badly hit since 2019. UK exports to Ireland are down more than a quarter since 2019.