Customs importer and exporter population 2025
Published 16 April 2026
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Introduction
These statistics report the number of businesses importing and exporting goods in 2025. A business is included if it is named on a Customs declaration. This covers goods moved between Great Britain (GB) and the European Union (EU), and between the United Kingdom (UK) and countries outside the EU.
Previous publications
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) advises not to compare this data with UK importer and exporter data from before 2021. The data sources have changed, so comparisons may not be accurate.
Summary statistics
Total number of businesses named on a Customs declaration in 2025
362,992 The number of businesses moving goods increased by 8,056. This is 2% more than the 2024 population of 354,936.
Number of businesses moving goods to or from EU countries in 2025
218,611 The number of businesses moving goods to or from EU countries decreased by 4,177. This is 2% less than the 2024 population of 222,788.
Number of businesses moving goods to or from non-EU countries in 2025
256,372 The number of businesses moving goods to or from non-EU countries increased by 10,399. This is 4% more than the 2024 population of 245,973.
Number of businesses importing goods in 2025
334,294 The population of businesses importing goods increased by 12,801. This is 4% more than the 2024 population of 321,493.
Number of businesses exporting goods in 2025
126,029 The population of businesses exporting goods decreased by 7,256. This is 5% less than the 2024 population of 133,285.
Business counts by trade partner region
Table 1: Customs importer and exporter population for goods movements in 2024 and 2025, by trade partner region
Table 1 shows the change in population from 2024 to 2025, for each trade partner region.
| Trade partner region | Business count 2024 | Business count 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| EU only | 108,963 | 106,620 |
| Non‑EU only | 132,148 | 144,381 |
| EU and non‑EU | 113,825 | 111,991 |
| Total | 354,936 | 362,992 |
Of the 362,992 businesses moving goods during 2025:
-
106,620 were moving goods to or from EU countries only, this decreased by 2,343 or 2%
-
144,381 were moving goods to or from non‑EU countries only, this increased by 12,233 or 9%
-
111,991 were moving goods to or from both EU and non‑EU countries, this decreased by 1,834 or 2%
Most businesses (69%) were moving goods to or from just one trade partner region (EU or non-EU countries only). The remaining businesses (31%) were moving goods to or from both EU and non-EU countries.
Source: Customs importer and exporter population, 2025, HM Revenue & Customs.
Notes: Customs declarations are required to move goods between GB and EU, and between UK and non‑EU countries. Adding EU only to both EU and non-EU will give the total number of businesses who moved goods to or from EU countries. Adding non-EU only to both EU and non-EU will give the total number of businesses who moved goods to or from non-EU countries.
Table 2: Customs importer and exporter population for goods movements in 2024 and 2025, by trade partner region and direction of movement
Table 2 shows the change in population from 2024 to 2025, for each trade partner region and direction of movement combination.
| Trade partner region | Direction of movement | Business count 2024 | Business count 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU countries only | Importing only | 80,479 | 81,012 |
| EU countries only | Exporting only | 14,331 | 11,942 |
| EU countries only | Importing and exporting | 14,153 | 13,666 |
| Non‑EU countries only | Importing only | 112,846 | 126,488 |
| Non‑EU countries only | Exporting only | 13,366 | 11,897 |
| Non‑EU countries only | Importing and exporting | 5,936 | 5,996 |
| EU and non‑EU | Importing only | 28,326 | 29,463 |
| EU and non‑EU | Exporting only | 5,746 | 4,859 |
| EU and non‑EU | Importing and exporting | 79,753 | 77,669 |
| Total | Not Applicable | 354,936 | 362,992 |
Of the 106,620 businesses moving goods to or from EU countries only in 2025:
- 81,012 were importing but not exporting goods, this increased by 533 or 1%
- 11,942 were exporting but not importing goods, this decreased by 2,389 or 17%
- 13,666 were both importing and exporting goods, this decreased by 487 or 3%
Of the 144,381 businesses moving goods to or from non-EU countries only in 2025:
- 126,488 were importing but not exporting goods, this increased by 13,642 or 12%
- 11,897 were exporting but not importing goods, this decreased by 1,469 or 11%
- 5,996 were both importing and exporting goods, this increased by 60 or 1%
Of the 111,991 businesses moving goods to or from both EU and non-EU countries in 2025:
- 29,463 were importing but not exporting goods, this increased by 1,137 or 4%
- 4,859 were exporting but not importing goods, this decreased by 887 or 15%
- 77,669 were both importing and exporting goods, this decreased by 2,084 or 3%
Source: Customs importer and exporter population, 2025, from HM Revenue & Customs.
Notes: Customs declarations are required for movements of goods between GB and EU, and between UK and non-EU countries. Importing refers to imports from both EU and non-EU countries, exporting refers to exports to both EU and non-EU countries.
Business counts by direction of movement
Table 3: Customs importer and exporter population for goods movements in 2024 and 2025, by direction of movement
Table 3 shows the change in population from 2024 to 2025, for each direction of movement:
| Direction of movement | Business count 2024 | Business count 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Importing only | 221,651 | 236,963 |
| Exporting only | 33,443 | 28,698 |
| Importing and exporting | 99,842 | 97,331 |
| Total | 354,936 | 362,992 |
Of the 362,992 businesses moving goods during 2025:
• 236,963 were importing but not exporting goods, this increased by 15,312 or 7%
• 28,698 were exporting but not importing goods, this decreased by 4,745 or 14%
• 97,331 were both importing and exporting goods, this decreased by 2,511 or 3%
Most businesses (73%) were moving goods in just one direction. The remaining businesses (27%) both imported and exported goods.
Source: Customs importer and exporter population, 2025, from HM Revenue & Customs.
Notes: Customs declarations are needed to move goods between GB and EU, and between UK and non-EU countries. To get total number of importers, add importing only to both importing and exporting. To get total number of exporters, add exporting only to both importing and exporting.
Table 4: Customs importer and exporter population for goods movements in 2024 and 2025, by direction of movement and trade partner region
Table 4 shows the change in population from 2024 to 2025, for each direction of movement and trade partner region combination.
| Direction of movement | Trade partner region | Business count 2024 | Business count 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Importing only | EU only | 80,479 | 81,012 |
| Importing only | Non-EU only | 112,846 | 126,488 |
| Importing only | EU and non-EU | 28,326 | 29,463 |
| Exporting only | EU only | 14,331 | 11,942 |
| Exporting only | Non-EU only | 13,366 | 11,897 |
| Exporting only | EU and non-EU | 5,746 | 4,859 |
| Importing and exporting | EU only | 14,153 | 13,666 |
| Importing and exporting | Non-EU only | 5,936 | 5,996 |
| Importing and exporting | EU and non-EU | 79,753 | 77,669 |
| Total | Not applicable | 354,936 | 362,992 |
Of the 236,963 businesses importing but not exporting goods in 2025:
- 81,012 were importing goods from EU countries only, this increased by 533 or 1%
- 126,488 were importing goods from non-EU countries only, this increased by 13,642 or 12%
- 29,463 were importing goods from both EU and non-EU countries, this increased by 1,137 or 4%
Of the 28,698 businesses exporting but not importing goods in 2025:
- 11,942 were exporting goods from EU countries only, this decreased by 2,389 or 17%
- 11,897 were exporting goods from non-EU countries only, this decreased by 1,469 or 11%
- 4,859 were exporting goods from both EU and non-EU countries, this decreased by 887 or 15%
Of the 97,331 businesses both importing and exporting goods in 2025:
- 13,666 were both importing from and exporting to EU countries only, this decreased by 487 or 3%
- 5,996 were both importing and exporting goods to non-EU countries only, this increased by 60 or 1%
- 77,669 were both importing and exporting goods to and from both EU and non-EU countries, this decreased by 2,084 or 3%
Source: Customs importer and exporter population, 2025, from HM Revenue & Customs.
Notes: Customs declarations are required for movements of goods between GB and EU, and between UK and non-EU countries. Importing refers to imports from both EU and non-EU countries, exporting refers to exports to both EU and non-EU countries.
Business churn
Business churn compares the 2024 and 2025 Customs populations.
Table 5: Customs importer and exporter population for goods movements in 2024, by annual business churn
Table 5 shows the number of businesses moving goods in 2024. Businesses are split into two groups. Those moving goods during 2024 but not in 2025, and those moving goods in both 2024 and 2025.
| Years moving goods | Business count |
|---|---|
| 2024 only | 93,074 |
| 2024 and 2025 | 261,862 |
| 2024 total | 354,936 |
Of the 354,936 businesses moving goods in 2024:
• 93,074 or 26% were not in the 2025 population
• 261,862 or 74% were in 2024 and 2025 populations
Source: Customs importer and exporter population, 2025, from HM Revenue & Customs.
Notes: Customs declarations are required for movements of goods between GB and EU, and between UK and non-EU countries. This analysis only compares the current year to the previous year. Previous business behaviour was not taken into account.
Table 6: Customs importer and exporter population for goods movements in 2025, by annual business churn
Table 6 shows the number of businesses moving goods in 2025. Businesses are split into two groups. Those previously moving goods in 2024, continuing in 2025. And those moving goods in 2025, having not done so in 2024.
| Years moving goods | Business count |
|---|---|
| 2024 and 2025 | 261,862 |
| 2025 only | 101,130 |
| 2025 total | 362,992 |
Of the 362,992, businesses moving goods in 2025:
• 261,862 or 72% were in 2024 and 2025 populations
• 101,130 or 28% were not in the 2024 population
Source: Customs importer and exporter population, 2025, from HM Revenue & Customs.
Notes: Customs declarations are required for movements of goods between GB and EU, and between UK and non-EU countries. This analysis only compares the current year to the previous year. Previous business behaviour was not taken into account.