UK regional trade in goods statistics, first quarter, January to March 2024: commentary
Published 13 June 2024
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Regional trade in goods summary
This commentary reports the UK鈥檚 regional trade in goods statistics by broad area (EU and non-EU), Country and Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) Revision 4. Users must refer to the explanatory notes聽 accompanying this commentary, covering data sources and compilation methodology. Aggregated data can be found in our accompanying tables.
Please note that trade in goods values are in current prices. Figures are not adjusted for inflation or global economic events, so please take caution when making comparisons with historic data.
In the year ending March 2024, the overall value of UK trade in goods聽decreased by 5.9% for聽exports聽and by 8.7% for聽imports, when聽compared with the previous year.聽At a regional level:
- all UK countries experienced a decrease in the value of exports, except for Northern Ireland which increased
- all UK countries experienced a decrease in the value of imports
- export values for the North East, East Midlands, and West Midlands increased while all other English regions experienced decreases
- import values decreased for all English regions
England鈥檚 trade in goods
In the year ending March 2024, compared with the year ending March 2023:
England鈥檚 goods exports to EU countries were worth 拢126 billion (bn) (down 拢9.8bn, 7.2%). 皇冠体育app largest decrease in EU exports was in SITC 33 - Petroleum, petroleum products & related materials (down 拢4.4bn,聽31%). 皇冠体育app largest decrease in EU exports was to the Netherlands (down 拢6.4bn, 26%).
England鈥檚 goods exports to non-EU countries were worth 拢136bn (down 拢1.9bn, 1.4%). 皇冠体育app largest decrease in non-EU exports was聽in SITC 68 - Non-ferrous metals (down聽拢3.1bn, 31%). 皇冠体育app largest聽decrease in non-EU exports was to Canada (down聽拢0.8bn, 18%).
In the year ending March 2024, the largest English export region was the South East, accounting for 11% of the UK鈥檚 total goods exports, whilst the smallest was the North East, accounting for 3.8%.
England鈥檚 goods imports from EU countries were worth 拢243bn (down 拢0.3bn, 0.1%).聽皇冠体育app largest decrease in EU imports聽was in SITC 54 - Medicinal & pharmaceutical products (down 拢3.2bn, 21%). 皇冠体育app largest decrease in EU imports was from the Netherlands (down 拢5.5bn, 12%).
England鈥檚 goods imports from non-EU countries were worth 拢193bn (down 拢40.3bn, 17%). 皇冠体育app largest decrease in non-EU imports was in SITC 34 - Gas, natural & manufactured (down 拢21.1bn,聽68%). 皇冠体育app largest decrease in non-EU imports聽was from Norway (down 拢10.7bn, 44%).
In the year ending March 2024, the largest English import region was the South East, accounting for 19% of the UK鈥檚 total goods imports, whilst the smallest was the North East, accounting for 2.6%.
Figure 1: England鈥檚 goods trade, Quarter 1 January to March 2020 onwards
Figure 1 shows a time series of England鈥檚 goods trade with EU and non-EU countries, for both exports and imports. England鈥檚 all four goods flows showed declines in the latest quarter.
Source: UK regional trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Download detailed data for Figure 1: England鈥檚 goods trade (ODS 9.84 KB)
Note: 2023 and 2024 data are provisional
Wales鈥� trade in goods
In the year ending March 2024, compared with the year ending March 2023:
Wales鈥� goods exports to EU countries were worth 拢11.2bn (down 拢0.7bn, 6.1%). 皇冠体育app largest decrease in EU exports was in SITC 33 - Petroleum, petroleum products & related materials (down 拢0.7bn, 28%). 皇冠体育app largest decrease in EU exports was to Ireland (down 拢0.6bn, 21%).
Wales鈥� goods exports to non-EU countries were worth 拢7.9bn (down 拢1.0bn, 11%). 皇冠体育app largest decrease in non-EU exports was聽in SITC 33 - Petroleum, petroleum products & related materials (down 拢0.6bn, 30%). 皇冠体育app largest聽decrease in non-EU exports was to the USA (down 拢0.6bn, 18%).
Wales鈥� goods imports from EU countries were worth 拢7.5bn (down 拢0.5bn, 6.0%).聽皇冠体育app largest decrease in EU imports聽was in SITC 59 - Chemical materials & products n.e.s. (down 拢0.2bn, 43%). 皇冠体育app largest decrease in EU imports was from Ireland (down 拢0.3bn, 50%).
Wales鈥� goods imports from non-EU countries were worth 拢13.4bn (down 拢2.5bn, 16%). 皇冠体育app largest decrease in non-EU imports was in SITC 33 - Petroleum, petroleum products & related materials (down 拢1.5bn,聽22%). 皇冠体育app largest decrease in non-EU imports聽was from Norway (down 拢0.4bn, 38%).
Figure 2: Wales鈥� goods trade, Quarter 1 January to March 2020 onwards
Figure 2 shows a time series of Wales鈥� goods trade with EU and non-EU countries, for both exports and imports. Wales鈥� goods exports and EU imports showed declines in the latest quarter, whereas Non-EU imports experienced a quarterly increase.
Source: UK regional trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Note: 2023 and 2024 data are provisional
Scotland鈥檚 trade in goods
In the year ending March 2024, compared with the year ending March 2023:
Scotland鈥檚 goods exports to EU countries were worth 拢18.0bn (down 拢4.3bn, 19%). 皇冠体育app largest decrease in EU exports was in SITC 33 - Petroleum, petroleum products & related materials (down 拢2.3bn,聽23%). 皇冠体育app largest decrease in EU exports was to Ireland (down 拢1.8bn, 48%).
Scotland鈥檚 goods exports to non-EU countries were worth 拢14.1bn (down 拢0.8bn, 5.7%). 皇冠体育app largest decrease in non-EU exports was聽in SITC 11 - Beverages (down 拢0.5bn, 12%). 皇冠体育app largest聽decrease in non-EU exports was to India聽(down聽拢0.1bn, 20%).
Scotland鈥檚 goods imports from EU countries were worth 拢12.0bn (a small value increase, up 0.2%).聽皇冠体育app largest increase in EU imports聽was in SITC 71 - Power generating machinery & equipment (up 拢0.3bn, 33%). 皇冠体育app largest increase in EU imports was from France (up 拢0.3bn, 26%).
Scotland鈥檚 goods imports from non-EU countries were worth 拢16.2bn (down 拢7.7bn, 32%). 皇冠体育app largest decrease in non-EU imports was in SITC 34 - Gas, natural & manufactured (down 拢6.1bn,聽61%). 皇冠体育app largest decrease in non-EU imports聽was from Norway (down 拢5.3bn, 56%).
Figure 3: Scotland鈥檚 goods trade, Quarter 1 January to March 2020 onwards
Figure 3 shows a time series of Scotland鈥檚 goods trade with EU and non-EU countries, for both exports and imports. Scotland鈥檚 all four goods flows showed declines in the latest quarter.
Source: UK regional trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Download detailed data for Figure 3: Scotland鈥檚 goods trade (ODS 9.63 KB)
Note: 2023 and 2024 data are provisional
Northern Ireland鈥檚 trade in goods
In the year ending March 2024, compared with the year ending March 2023:
Northern Ireland鈥檚 goods exports to EU countries were worth 拢6.8bn (up 拢0.3bn, 4.4%). 皇冠体育app largest increase in EU exports was in SITC 66 - Non-metallic mineral manufactures n.e.s. (up 拢0.1bn, 86%). 皇冠体育app largest increase in EU exports was to Belgium (up 拢0.1bn, 31%).
Northern Ireland鈥檚 goods exports to non-EU countries were worth 拢4.2bn (up 拢0.8bn, 24%). 皇冠体育app largest increase in non-EU exports was聽in SITC 54 - Medicinal & pharmaceutical products (up 拢0.4bn, 89%). 皇冠体育app largest聽increase in non-EU exports was to the USA聽(up聽拢0.7bn, 61%).
Northern Ireland鈥檚 goods imports from EU countries were worth 拢6.5bn (down 拢0.2bn, 2.6%).聽皇冠体育app largest decrease in EU imports聽was in SITC 02 - Dairy products & birds鈥� eggs (down 拢0.1bn, 33%). 皇冠体育app largest decrease in EU imports was from Ireland (down 拢0.2bn, 4.6%).
Northern Ireland鈥檚 goods imports from non-EU countries were worth 拢3.0bn (down 拢0.2bn, 5.0%). 皇冠体育app largest decrease in non-EU imports was in SITC 32 - Coal, coke & briquettes (down 拢0.1bn,聽44%). 皇冠体育app largest decrease in non-EU imports聽was from China (down 拢0.1bn, 9.5%).
Figure 4: Northern Ireland鈥檚 goods trade, Quarter 1 January to March 2020 onwards
Figure 4 shows a time series of Northern Ireland鈥檚 goods trade with EU and non-EU countries, for both exports and imports. Northern Ireland鈥檚 goods imports and Non-EU exports showed declines in the latest quarter, whereas EU exports experienced a quarterly increase.
Source: UK regional trade in goods statistics from HM Revenue & Customs
Download detailed data for Figure 4: Northern Ireland鈥檚 goods trade (ODS 9.61 KB)
Note: 2023 and 2024 data are provisional