UK overseas trade in goods statistics March 2025: commentary
Published 15 May 2025
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Trade in goods summary
Data behind this bulletin is available through the UK Trade Info website. Users can build their own tables according to the countries, commodities, and ports selected.
For more information on how we compile the trade in goods statistics, users must refer to the accompanying methodology notes. Further information about trade in non-monetary gold (NMG) can be found in the monthly gold table.
Total exports of goods for March 2025
£38.9 billion down £1.5 billion, or 4%, on February 2025, up £4.7 billion, or 14%, on March 2024
Total imports of goods for March 2025
£60.1 billion up £4.7 billion, or 9%, on February 2025, up £9.3 billion, or 18%, on March 2024
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
The UK was a net importer this month, with imports exceeding exports by £21.2 billion, widening the trade gap by £6.3 billion compared with February 2025.
Figure 1: Total UK monthly trade in goods, October 2023 to March 2025
Figure 1 shows total exports, imports and the trade gap for the period from October 2023 to March 2025.
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Download figure 1: Total UK monthly trade in goods, October 2023 to March 2025 (ODS 11.8KB)
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
In March 2025, exports fell by £1.5 billion while imports rose by £4.7 billion, widening the trade gap by £6.3 billion compared with February 2025.
Impact of non-monetary gold (NMG)
Movements in NMG can be large and highly volatile, impacting underlying trends in trade figures. More information can be found in the accompanying methodology notes and in the monthly gold table.
Figure 2: Total UK monthly trade in goods including and excluding NMG, October 2023 to March 2025
Figure 2 shows exports and imports including and excluding non-monetary gold.
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
In March 2025, exports of NMG decreased by £3.6 billion, mostly driven by a decrease in exports to non-EU countries. This large decrease overshadowed an increase of £2.1 billion in exports when excluding NMG. Imports of NMG increased by £712 million in March 2025, contributing to the overall increase in imports this month.
EU and non-EU trade in goods
Exports to the EU accounted for 39% of the total value of exports, or 48% when excluding NMG.
Imports from the EU accounted for 49% of the total value of imports, or 54% when excluding NMG.
Table 1: Total UK trade in goods with EU and non-EU, including impact of NMG, March 2025 (£ billion)
| Flow | EU | EU excl NMG | Non-EU | Non-EU excl NMG | Total | Total excl NMG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exports | 15.3 | 15.2 | 23.6 | 16.3 | 38.9 | 31.4 |
| Imports | 29.2 | 27.8 | 30.9 | 23.8 | 60.1 | 51.6 |
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
EU exports for March 2025 were £15.3 billion. This was an increase of £1.1 billion, or 8% on February 2025, but a decrease of £0.1 billion, less than 1%, compared with March 2024.
Non-EU exports for March 2025 were £23.6 billion. This was a decrease of £2.7 billion, or 10%, on February 2025, but an increase of £4.8 billion, or 25%, compared with March 2024.
EU imports for March 2025 were £29.2 billion. This was an increase of £3.4 billion, or 13%, on February 2025, and an increase of £2.4 billion, or 9%, compared with March 2024.
Non-EU imports for March 2025 were £30.9 billion. This was an increase of £1.3 billion, or 4%, on February 2025, and an increase of £6.9 billion, or 29%, compared with March 2024.
Figure 3: Total UK monthly trade in goods with EU and non-EU, October 2023 to March 2025
Figure 3 shows total exports and imports for EU and non-EU trade for the period from October 2023 to March 2025.
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
EU exports have continued to increase for the third consecutive month. Non-EU exports fell due to a large decrease in exports of Precious metals, of which NMG is a major component. Total imports rose in March 2025, led by Mechanical appliances and Precious metals.
Exports: Country analysis
You can explore more UK export country data in the interactive data tables.
China had the largest value decrease in exports on February 2025, down 28% .
The USA had the largest value increase in exports on March 2024, up 69% .
Table 2: UK exports of goods to the top 5 countries, value comparison with February 2025 and March 2024 (£ million)
| Partner country | March 2025 | February 2025 | March 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA | 8,057 | 8,706 | 4,760 |
| China | 3,365 | 4,669 | 3,283 |
| Germany | 2,887 | 2,788 | 2,637 |
| Switzerland | 2,811 | 3,796 | 1,886 |
| Netherlands | 2,294 | 1,783 | 2,442 |
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
The USA remained the largest export partner country by value, but had the third largest value decrease on February 2025, down £649 million. In contrast, it had the largest value increase on March 2024, up £3.3 billion. Both changes were dominated by Precious metals (predominantly NMG).
China remained in second place. It had the largest value decrease on February 2025, down £1.3 billion. Similar to the USA, the decrease was driven by Precious metals.
Germany rose to third place from fourth between February 2025 and March 2025. It also had the third largest value increase on March 2024, up £250 million. This was led by Mechanical appliances.
Figure 4: Historical export values for the top 3 export partner countries in March 2025
Figure 4 shows the values for the top 3 export partner countries for the period from October 2023 to March 2025.
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
The USA accounted for 21% of the UK’s total exports in March 2025. This is down from 22% in February 2025. Exports to the USA fell by 7% on February 2025. This is the second consecutive decrease since January 2025, which was the highest value over the period shown.
China was the second largest value export partner, accounting for 9% of total exports in March 2025, compared to 12% in February 2025. Exports to China fell by 28% on February 2025.
Exports to Germany increased in value by 4% on February 2025, and became the third largest export partner, accounting for 7% of total exports.
Exports: Chapter analysis
You can explore more UK export chapter data in the interactive data tables.
Precious metals had the largest value decrease in exports on February 2025, down 33%, but the largest value increase in exports on March 2024, up 87%.
Table 3: UK exports of goods of the top 5 chapters, value comparison with February 2025 and March 2024 (£ million)
| Chapter | March 2025 | February 2025 | March 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precious metals | 9,117 | 13,598 | 4,880 |
| Mechanical appliances | 5,718 | 5,547 | 5,862 |
| Motor vehicles | 3,693 | 2,863 | 3,428 |
| Electronic equipment | 2,142 | 1,921 | 1,983 |
| Pharmaceutical products | 2,066 | 1,967 | 1,726 |
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
Precious metals remained the top export chapter in March 2025, but had the largest value decrease on February 2025, down £4.5 billion. This was led by China, the USA, and Switzerland. In contrast, it had the largest value increase on March 2024, up £4.2 billion. This was driven by exports to the USA.
Exports of Mechanical appliances remained in second place. It had the fifth largest value increase on February 2025, up £170 million. This was driven by exports to Germany.
Motor vehicles remained in third place. It had the largest value increase on February 2025, up £830 million. This was led by the USA.
Figure 5: Historical export values for the top 3 export chapters in March 2025
Figure 5 shows the values for the top 3 export chapters for the period from October 2023 to March 2025.
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Download figure 5: Historical export values for the top 3 export chapters in March 2025 (ODS 12.1KB)
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
Precious metals accounted for 23% of the UK’s total exports. This was down from 34% in February 2025. Exports of Precious metals decreased by 33% on February 2025.
Exports of Mechanical appliances increased in March 2025, up 3% on February 2025. It accounted for 15% of the UK’s total exports in March 2025, up from 14% in February 2025.
Motor vehicles remained the third largest export chapter this month, up 29% on February 2025. It accounted for 10% of the UK’s total exports, up from 7% in February 2025.
Imports: Country analysis
You can explore more UK import country data in the interactive data tables.
France had the largest value increase on February 2025, up 45%.
The USA had the largest value increase on March 2024, up 39%.
Table 4: UK imports of goods from the top 5 countries, value comparison with February 2025 and March 2024 (£ million)
| Partner Country | March 2025 | February 2025 | March 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA | 7,219 | 6,873 | 5,192 |
| Germany | 6,368 | 5,973 | 6,507 |
| China | 5,187 | 4,950 | 5,103 |
| Netherlands | 4,316 | 3,959 | 4,001 |
| France | 3,834 | 2,637 | 2,944 |
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
In March 2025, the top five largest import partner countries by value remained the same as February 2025 and kept the same order.
The USA had the largest value increase on March 2024, up £2.0 billion. This was led by increased imports of Precious metals and Mechanical appliances.
Germany had the third largest value increase on February 2025, up £395 million. This was led by Mechanical appliances and Precious metals. In contrast, Germany had the third largest value decrease on March 2024, down £139 million. This was led by Motor vehicles, Precious metals, and Aircraft.
China, ranked third, had the eighth largest value increase on February 2025, up £237 million. This was led by increased imports of Mechanical appliances and Aircraft.
Figure 6: Historical import values for the top 3 import partner countries in March 2025
Figure 6 shows the values for the top 3 import partner countries for the period from October 2023 to March 2025.
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Download figure 6: Historical import values for the top 3 import partner countries (ODS 11.9KB)
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
The USA remained the UK’s top import partner for the fourth consecutive month. There was a 5% increase in imports from the USA compared with February 2025. The USA accounted for 12% of the UK’s total imports in March 2025.
Germany remained the UK’s second ranked import partner, accounting for 11% of the UK’s total imports in March 2025. Imports from Germany increased by 7% on February 2025.
China remained the UK’s third ranked import partner, accounting for 9% of the UK’s total imports in March 2025. Imports from China increased by 5% on February 2025.
Imports: Chapter analysis
You can explore more UK import chapter data in the interactive data tables.
Mechanical appliances had the largest value increase on February 2025, up 16%.
Precious metals had the largest value increase on March 2024, up to more than double the value.
Table 5: UK imports of goods of the top 5 chapters, value comparison with February 2025 and March 2024 (£ million)
| Chapter | March 2025 | February 2025 | March 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precious metals | 9,409 | 8,676 | 4,335 |
| Mechanical appliances | 7,050 | 6,086 | 6,119 |
| Motor vehicles | 6,288 | 5,902 | 6,516 |
| Mineral fuels | 6,054 | 5,997 | 4,848 |
| Electronic equipment | 4,850 | 4,601 | 4,518 |
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
Precious metals remained the top import chapter in March 2025. Precious metals had the second largest value increase on February 2025, up £732 million. This was driven by increased imports from France and Canada, offsetting a decrease from Switzerland. Precious metals had the largest value increase on March 2024, up £5.1 billion. This was driven by increased imports from Uzbekistan and the USA.
Mechanical appliances remained the UK’s second largest import chapter in March 2025. Mechanical appliances had the largest value increase on February 2025 and the third largest on March 2024, up £964 million and £932 million respectively. These increases were driven by Germany and the USA.
Motor vehicles climbed from fourth place to third. It had the third largest value increase on February 2025, up £385 million, led by Belgium. In contrast, Motor vehicles had the second largest value decrease on March 2024, down £228 million. This was driven by Germany, France, and China.
Figure 7: Historical import values for the top 3 import chapters in March 2025
Figure 7 shows the values for the top 3 import chapters for the period from October 2023 to March 2025.
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Download figure 7: Historical import values for the top 3 import chapters in March 2025 (ODS 12KB)
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
In March 2025, Precious metals remained the UK’s largest import chapter. It accounted for 16% of the UK’s total imports. The value of imports of Precious metals increased by 8% on February 2025 to the highest value since October 2024.
Imports of Mechanical appliances remained in second place, accounting for 12% of total imports, up from 11% in February 2025. Mechanical appliances imports increased by 16% on February 2025.
Motor vehicles became the UK’s third largest import chapter in March 2025, accounting for 10% of UK imports, down from 11% in February 2025. Imports of Motor vehicles increased by 7% on February 2025. In contrast, imports of Motor vehicles decreased by 4% on March 2024.
Focus
Table 6: UK exports of Motor vehicles, value comparison with February 2025
| Partner country | March 2025 (£m) | February 2025 (£m) | Change (£m) | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | 1,021 | 705 | 316 | 45 |
| Germany | 282 | 205 | 77 | 38 |
| Netherlands | 177 | 106 | 71 | 67 |
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Download table 6: UK exports of Motor vehicles, value comparison with February 2025 (ODS 10.4KB)
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
Exports of Motor vehicles had the largest value increase of all chapters on February 2025. This was an increase of £830 million, or 29%. Between February 2025 and March 2025, exports of Motor vehicles to the USA rose by £316 million, or 45%.
Exports of Motor vehicles to Germany rose by £77 million, or 38%, over the same period.
Exports of Motor vehicles to the Netherlands increased by £71 million, or 67%, compared with February 2025.
Table 7: UK imports from France, value comparison with February 2025
| Chapter | March 2025 (£m) | February 2025 (£m) | Change (£m) | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precious metals | 842 | 15 | 826 | 5,388 |
| Mineral fuels | 302 | 145 | 157 | 108 |
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Download table 7: UK imports from France, value comparison with February 2025 (ODS 10.2KB)
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
Imports from France had the largest value increase of all partners on February 2025, up by £1.2 billion, or 45%.
Imports of Precious metals rose by £826 million, up from £15 million in February 2025.
Imports of Mineral fuels rose by £157 million, or up to double the value over the same period.