UK food and drink exports to EU collapse by a third since Brexit

British food and drink exports to the EU have collapsed by more than a third since Brexit, according to new analysis. The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) examined HMRC data and found that in the year to July, compared with the same period in 2019, sugar exports fell by 70%, poultry by 53%, and eggs and egg products used in confectionery and baking dropped by 65%. Full-year data from 2019 to 2025 shows a 74% fall in egg and egg product exports.

The EU remains the UK’s largest trading partner for agri-food products, accounting for 68% of agri-food exports last year. But trade volumes have fallen over a third since 2019, said NFU president Tom Bradshaw. He noted that the EU is crucial for British farmers, yet the barriers have grown.

Paperwork and border checks hit exporters

Since Brexit, all food exports require customs paperwork with different codes for each product. These codes cover every egg variation—fresh, dried, steamed, shelled, with added water or sugar. Paper pulp in egg cartons and eggs themselves need health certification proving they are disease-free. Horticultural exports fell by more than 50%.

Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester, told MPs that Brexit trade barriers mean “entire truckloads of plants or fresh product can be destroyed because of a single missing stamp or minor paperwork delay.” He added that Scottish salmon, the UK’s largest food export, faces a 100% rate of document checks at the border, costing around £100m in lost exports. And seed potatoes from Scotland, mainly, are banned from the EU after negotiators failed to agree on equivalent standards in the 2020 trade deal.

Hopes for a reset in UK-EU relations

A deal to ease sanitary and phytosanitary checks was largely agreed in May. Changes are expected next summer, though key details still need finalising. The NFU is calling for “transition arrangements” for UK crops grown with fungicides or breeding techniques not yet EU-approved, so that autumn and winter harvests can use new export freedoms when they come in.

Bradshaw said British farmers must retain access to precision breeding technologies and science-based plant protection products. He added that any changes must provide an appropriate transition period to minimise disruption for farm businesses. The NFU will continue making its case to government while awaiting the final agreement.