UK overseas trade in goods statistics May 2025: commentary
Published 11 July 2025
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Trade in goods summary
Data behind this bulletin is available through the UK Trade Info website, where 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 May 2025
£30.4 billion down £2.4 billion, or 7%, on April 2025, down £1.8 billion, or 5%, on May 2024
Total imports of goods for May 2025
£57.4 billion down £0.1 billion, or less than 1%, on April 2025, up £7.0 billion, or 14%, on May 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 £27.1 billion, widening the trade gap by £2.4 billion compared with April 2025.
Figure 1: Total UK monthly trade in goods, December 2023 to May 2025
Figure 1 shows total exports, imports and the trade gap for the period from December 2023 to May 2025.
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Download figure 1: Total UK monthly trade in goods, December 2023 to May 2025 (ODS 11.6 KB)
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
Exports continued to decrease in May 2025 for the fourth consecutive month. Imports decreased by a lesser amount, leading to a widening of the trade gap in May 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, December 2023 to May 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 May 2025 exports of NMG fell by £3.5 billion, overshadowing a £1.1 billion increase in exports excluding NMG. Imports of NMG decreased by £519 million, overshadowing an increase of £442 million in imports excluding NMG.
EU and non-EU trade in goods
Exports to the EU accounted for 48% of the total value of exports, or 50% when excluding NMG.
Imports from the EU accounted for 47% 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, May 2025 (£ billion)
| Flow | EU | EU excl NMG | Non-EU | Non-EU excl NMG | Total | Total excl NMG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exports | 14.5 | 14.0 | 15.8 | 13.8 | 30.4 | 27.8 |
| Imports | 27.1 | 26.4 | 30.3 | 22.2 | 57.4 | 48.5 |
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
EU exports for May 2025 were £14.5 billion. This was an increase of £1.0 billion, or 8%, on April 2025, and an increase of £0.5 billion, or 3%, compared with May 2024.
Non-EU exports for May 2025 were £15.8 billion. This was a decrease of £3.5 billion, or 18%, on April 2025, and a decrease of £2.2 billion, or 12%, compared with May 2024.
EU imports for May 2025 were £27.1 billion. This was an increase of £0.5 billion, or 2%, on April 2025, and an increase of £1.5 billion, or 6%, compared with May 2024.
Non-EU imports for May 2025 were £30.3 billion. This was a decrease of £0.5 billion, or 2%, on April 2025, but an increase of £5.5 billion, or 22%, compared with May 2024.
Figure 3: Total UK monthly trade in goods with EU and non-EU, December 2023 to May 2025
Figure 3 shows total exports and imports for EU and non-EU trade for the period from December 2023 to May 2025.
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
EU exports remained relatively stable over the period from December 2023 to May 2025. The fluctuations in non-EU exports seen since June 2024 have been largely driven by exports of NMG. EU imports rose slightly while non-EU imports fell slightly in May 2025.
Exports: Country analysis
You can explore more UK export country data in the interactive data tables.
Switzerland had the largest value decrease on April 2025, down 82%.
China had the largest value decrease on May 2024, down 43%.
Table 2: UK exports of goods to the top 5 countries, value comparison with April 2025 and May 2024 (£ million)
| Partner country | May 2025 | April 2025 | May 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA | 4,130 | 4,276 | 4,624 |
| Germany | 2,677 | 2,459 | 2,139 |
| China | 2,334 | 3,225 | 4,129 |
| Netherlands | 1,983 | 1,910 | 2,505 |
| France | 1,935 | 1,718 | 1,768 |
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 sixth largest value decrease on April 2025, down £145 million. This was dominated by Precious metals. It also had the third largest value decrease on May 2024, down £494 million. This was led by Mechanical appliances and Motor vehicles.
Germany replaced China as the second largest export partner in May 2025, up from fourth place in April 2025. It had the third largest value increase on April 2025, up £218 million. It also had the largest value increase on May 2024, up £538 million. Both increases were led by Precious metals and Mechanical appliances.
China fell to third place from second in April 2025. It had the second largest value decrease on April 2025, down £891 million. It also had the largest value decrease on May 2024, down £1.8 billion. Both decreases were dominated by Precious metals.
Figure 4: Historical export values for the top 3 export partner countries in May 2025
Figure 4 shows the values for the top 3 export partner countries for the period from December 2023 to May 2025.
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
The USA accounted for 14% of the UK’s total exports in May 2025. This was up from 13% in April 2025. Exports to the USA fell by 3% on April 2025, and 11% on May 2024. This was the fourth consecutive decrease since January 2025, which was the highest value over the period shown. This took the USA to the lowest monthly export value since January 2024.
Germany accounted for 9% of total exports in May 2025, compared to 8% in April 2025. Exports to Germany rose by 9% on April 2025.
China accounted for 8% of total exports in May 2025, compared to 10% in April 2025. Exports to China decreased in value by 28% on April 2025. This was the third consecutive decrease since February 2025.
Exports: Chapter analysis
You can explore more UK export chapter data in the interactive data tables.
Precious metals had the largest value decrease on April 2025, down 45%.
Mechanical appliances had the largest value decrease on May 2024, down 14%.
Table 3: UK exports of goods of the top 5 chapters, value comparison with April 2025 and May 2024 (£ million)
| Chapter | May 2025 | April 2025 | May 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical appliances | 4,907 | 5,068 | 5,737 |
| Precious metals | 3,900 | 7,137 | 4,341 |
| Motor vehicles | 2,686 | 2,547 | 3,208 |
| Electronic equipment | 2,057 | 1,941 | 1,863 |
| Mineral fuels | 1,871 | 1,885 | 2,394 |
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
Mechanical appliances replaced Precious metals as the top export chapter in May 2025. This was despite it having the second largest value decrease on April 2025, down £161 million, led by Iceland. It also had the largest value decrease on May 2024, down £830 million, led by the USA.
Precious metals fell to second place in May 2025. It had the largest value decrease on April 2025, down £3.2 billion, led by Switzerland and China. It also had the fourth largest value decrease on May 2024, down £442 million, dominated by China.
Motor vehicles remained in third place. It had the second largest value increase on April 2025, up £139 million, led by the USA. In contrast, it experienced the second largest decrease on May 2024, down £522 million, led by the USA and China.
Figure 5: Historical export values for the top 3 export chapters in May 2025
Figure 5 shows the values for the top 3 export chapters for the period from December 2023 to May 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 May 2025 (ODS 11.8 KB)
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
Mechanical appliances accounted for 16% of the UK’s total exports in April 2025, up from 15% in April 2025. Exports of Mechanical appliances decreased by 3% on April 2025.
Precious metals accounted for 13% of the UK’s total exports. This was down from 22% in April 2025. Exports of Precious metals decreased by 45% on April 2025.
Motor vehicles accounted for 9% of the UK’s total exports, up from 8% in April 2025. Exports of Motor vehicles increased by 5% on April 2025.
Imports: Country analysis
You can explore more UK import country data in the interactive data tables.
The USA had the largest value decrease on April 2025, down 26%.
Canada had the largest value increase on May 2024, up to almost 3 times the value.
Table 4: UK imports of goods from the top 5 countries, value comparison with April 2025 and May 2024 (£ million)
| Partner Country | May 2025 | April 2025 | May 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 6,356 | 6,123 | 5,903 |
| USA | 5,764 | 7,824 | 4,980 |
| China | 4,969 | 4,542 | 5,068 |
| Netherlands | 4,233 | 4,000 | 3,742 |
| Canada | 2,929 | 1,914 | 1,057 |
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
In May 2025, Germany became the UK’s largest import partner, rising from second place in April 2025. It had the sixth largest increase on April 2025, up £233 million, driven by Precious metals. It also had the sixth largest increase on May 2024, up £454 million, driven by Motor vehicles.
The USA fell from first to second place and had the largest value decrease on April 2025, down £2.1 billion. In contrast, it had the third largest value increase on May 2024, up £784 million. Both changes were dominated by Precious metals.
China had the third largest value increase on April 2025, up £427 million. This was led by Mechanical appliances; Toys, games and consoles; and Furniture and light fittings.
Figure 6: Historical import values for the top 3 import partner countries in May 2025
Figure 6 shows the values for the top 3 import partner countries for the period from December 2023 to May 2025.
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
Germany accounted for 11% of the UK’s total imports in May 2025. Imports from Germany rose by 4% compared with April 2025, and by 8% compared with May 2024.
Imports from the USA accounted for 10% of the UK’s total imports in May 2025. This was down from 14% in April 2025. Imports from the USA decreased by 26% on April 2025 but were up 16% on May 2024.
China accounted for 9% of the UK’s total imports. This was up from 8% in April 2025. Imports from China increased by 9% on April 2025, but were down 2% on May 2024.
Imports: Chapter analysis
You can explore more UK import chapter data in the interactive data tables.
Precious metals had the largest value decrease on April 2025, down 5%.
Precious metals had the largest value increase on May 2024, up to 2.5 times the value.
Table 5: UK imports of goods of the top 5 chapters, value comparison with April 2025 and May 2024 (£ million)
| Chapter | May 2025 | April 2025 | May 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precious metals | 10,221 | 10,773 | 4,257 |
| Mechanical appliances | 6,342 | 6,215 | 6,513 |
| Motor vehicles | 5,740 | 6,018 | 5,495 |
| Electronic equipment | 4,666 | 4,726 | 4,355 |
| Mineral fuels | 4,019 | 4,503 | 5,556 |
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Download table 5: UK imports of goods of the top 5 chapters, total value (ODS 10.2 KB)
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
Precious metals remained the top import chapter in May 2025. Precious metals had the largest value decrease on April 2025, down £552 million, driven by the USA and Uzbekistan. In contrast, it had the largest value increase on May 2024, up £6.0 billion. This was driven by Canada and the USA.
Mechanical appliances remained in second place and had the second largest value increase on April 2025, up £127 million, led by the Netherlands, Germany, and China. In contrast, it had the second largest value decrease on May 2024, down £171 million, led by China and Spain.
Motor vehicles remained the UK’s third largest import chapter and had the third largest value decrease on April 2025, down £278 million, driven by Germany. In contrast, it had the fourth largest value increase on May 2024, up £245 million, also driven by Germany.
Figure 7: Historical import values for the top 3 import chapters in May 2025
Figure 7 shows the values for the top 3 import chapters for the period from December 2023 to May 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 May 2025 (ODS 11.7 KB)
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
In May 2025, Precious metals accounted for 18% of the UK’s total imports, down from 19% in April 2025. The value of imports of Precious metals decreased by 5% on April 2025 but were up on May 2024 to 2.5 times the value.
Mechanical appliances accounted for 11% of total imports in May 2025. Imports of Mechanical appliances increased by 2% on April 2025, but decreased by 3% on May 2024.
Motor vehicles accounted for 10% of UK imports. Imports of Motor vehicles decreased by 5% on April 2025, but increased by 4% on May 2024.
Focus
Table 6: Exports of Precious metals, value comparison with April 2025
| Partner country | May 2025 (£m) | April 2025 (£m) | Change (£) | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | 194 | 2,481 | -2,287 | -92 |
| China | 1,328 | 2,179 | -851 | -39 |
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Download table 6: Exports of Precious metals, value comparison with April 2025 (ODS 10.0 KB)
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
Exports of Precious metals had the largest value decrease of all chapters on April 2025. This was a decrease of £3.2 billion, or 45%.
Between April 2025 and May 2025, exports of Precious metals to Switzerland fell by the largest amount, £2.3 billion, or 92%.
Exports to China fell by £851 million, or 39%, compared with April 2025.
Table 7: Imports of Precious metals, value comparison with April 2025
| Partner Country | May 2025 (£m) | April 2025 (£m) | Change (£m) | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | 2,017 | 3,768 | -1,750 | -46 |
| Uzbekistan | 0 | 1,492 | -1,492 | -100 |
| Philippines | 918 | 0 | 918 | not shown |
| Canada | 2,550 | 1,678 | 872 | 52 |
Source: UK overseas trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Download table 7: Imports of Precious metals, value comparison with April 2025 (ODS 10.0 KB)
Note: 2024 and 2025 data is provisional
Imports of Precious metals had the largest value decrease of all chapters on April 2025. This was a decrease of £552 million, or 5%.
Between April 2025 and May 2025, imports from the USA decreased by the largest amount, £1.8 billion, or 46%. Imports from Uzbekistan decreased by £1.5 billion to zero trade.
These decreases were offset by increased imports from the Philippines and Canada. Imports from the Philippines increased by £918 million from less than £0.1 million. Imports from Canada increased by £872 million, or 52%.