Find trading partners to help you export to the UK
To sell goods to UK consumers, you may need to partner with other organisations, such as importers, distributors or retailers.
Depending on how advanced your export plan is, you may also need other intermediaries, such as market research or legal advisers who can help with:
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market intelligence, such as the demand for your products in the UK and the prices you can reasonably expect to sell them at
- market entry, for example how to access the UK market, find importers that specialise in your products, and how and when you will be paid
- legal and financial advice to mitigate the risks of exporting to the UK
- logistics, packaging your goods, and customs regulations
The country you are exporting from and what you are exporting will also determine what type of organisations you partner with.
This information is not comprehensive, but aims to provide you with ideas of where to find advice on exporting to the UK.
Search for UK buyers
If you want to sell goods to the UK, especially unfinished products such as unprocessed agricultural produce, you need to sell to a UK importer or wholesaler.
Use the UK trade data tools to search for UK traders. This is free to use.
You can also access a list of UK employers’ associations for potential contacts in your sector.
Network with buyers
Governmental organisations and trade bodies may provide assistance to exporters. This ranges from basic market intelligence to helping you connect to buyers by subsidising attendance at international trade events, or even running trade missions to other countries.
Depending on where you are, promoting exports from your country to international markets may be the responsibility of:
- central government department, such as ministry of trade or industry
- federal, regional or local export promotion agency run by the local government or a non-government organisation
- sector interest group, such as for agriculture, textiles or manufacturing
- chamber of commerce which promotes the interests of all businesses in your region or country
- supranational organisation that promotes businesses in yours and neighbouring countries
- the UK embassy, chamber of commerce or business association in your country
Your country’s embassy or high commission in the UK may provide trade and investment support to export to the UK.
Diaspora organisations (communities of people from your country who live in the UK) may also be able to provide informal advice on demand, prices and buyers for your goods.
Trade finance and professional advice
Some banks and other lenders provide finance specifically to fund export, such as working capital loans or insurance for goods in transit.
Professional advice may range from market research or legal advice on export regulations to outsourcing export as an end-to-end service. Your profit margins and appetite for risk will determine whether you want to use these services.
Professional advisors often provide free basic advice online to attract new business.
Logistics and export administration
Shipping companies and freight forwarders can provide advice on export regulation, packaging and shipping contracts. They can deal with some of the administrative burden of exporting for you.
This guidance is provided as part of the UK government’s Growth Gateway service.