United Kingdom Imports1955-2020 Data | 2021-2022 Forecast | Calendar | Historical

Imports to the United Kingdom rose 3.0 percent from a month earlier to GBP 58.85 billion in February 2020, the highest level in four months, on the back of a 6.0 percent advance in goods purchases. Imports of unspecified goods, which include precious metals such as non-monetary gold, silver, platinum and palladium, led the increase (2331.2 percent), followed by machinery & transport equipment (1.8 percent). Meanwhile, other major categories saw declines.

Imports to the United Kingdom went up only 0.1 percent month-over-month to GBP 56.63 billion in December 2019 as UK companies tried to ran down the stocks of foreign goods bought in earlier months in anticipation of no-deal Brexit. Goods purchases dropped 0.1 percent, dragged down by machinery & transport equipment (-4.7 percent); material manufactures (-2.9 percent); chemicals (-2.3 percent); and beverages & tobacco (-2.3 percent). Meanwhile, services imports increased 0.7 percent. Imports from the EU fell 0.2 percent due to lower purchases from the Netherlands (-2.5 percent), Italy (-2.1 percent), Spain (-1.2 percent) and Ireland (-3.7 percent). Imports from Germany rose 4.3 percent. Purchases from non-EU countries were little changed, as lower shipments from the US (-1.8 percent), China (-5.9 percent), Japan (-2.5 percent) and Turkey (-5.3 percent) offset growth from Norway (6.9 percent), Russia (28.1 percent), South Africa (83.2 percent) and Switzerland (14.3 percent).

Imports of goods and services to the UK plunged 7.8 percent from a month earlier to GBP 55.80 billion in November 2019, the lowest level since February 2018, following a 0.8 percent increase in October. Goods purchases tumbled 11.6 percent to a near two-year low due to purchases of food & live animals (-10.5 percent), fuels (-9.2 percent), chemicals (-24.2 percent), material manufactures (-8.3 percent), machinery & transport equipment (-10.1 percent), and miscellaneous manufactures (-10.1 percent). Meanwhile, services imports advanced 1.5 percent. Imports from the EU slumped 12.8 percent led by Germany (-10.6 percent), the Netherlands (-19.1 percent) and France (-14.1 percent). In addition, purchases from countries outside the EU declined 10.2 percent, due to falling shipments from China (-18.6 percent), the US (-11.1 percent), Japan (-4.8 percent) and Turkey (-17.1 percent).

Imports of goods and services to the UK rose 6.2% from a month earlier to GBP 64.13 billion in October 2019, following a 3.8% increase in September. Goods purchases jumped 8.3%, boosted by fuels (17.8%), chemicals (14.3%), food & live animals (5.8%), machinery & transport equipment (3.9%), and miscellaneous manufactures (1.4%). In addition, services imports advanced 1.3%. Among major trading partners, imports of goods from the EU advanced 4.4%, boosted by increases in purchases from Germany (4.6%), the Netherlands (11.5%), France (5.8%), Belgium (3.2%), Spain (2.4%), Ireland (9.1%) and Poland (1.8%). Meanwhile, purchases from non-EU countries rose 12.7%, driven by imports from China (15.9%), the US (5.9%), Switzerland (59.8%), Norway (43.9%), Turkey (19.8%), India (39.5%), Canada (6.5%), Australia (53.4%) and Hong Kong (5.0%). By contrast, shipments from Japan and Russia dropped 4.9 and 6.4% respectively.