Brexit Trade Losses Reignite Single Market Debate As FPC Warns Global Supply Must Be Protected
Brexit is costing Britain an estimated £11.7 billion a year in lost exports, according to new figures that have intensified calls for the UK to rebuild closer trading ties with the European Union.
Analysis from Logistics UK, reported by The Independent, estimates that the export revenue lost compared with 2019 is equivalent to approximately £400 for every UK household each year.
The trade body, which represents freight and logistics businesses, said UK goods exports by tonnage have fallen by 20.7 per cent since the country voted to leave the EU in 2016.
Export volumes to the EU have declined by 15.9 per cent, while exports to countries outside the bloc have fallen by 37.2 per cent challenging earlier expectations that Brexit would deliver a significant expansion in trade with the rest of the world.
Logistics UK head of trade James Mills said unnecessary paperwork, border complexity and duplicated processes were making it more difficult and expensive for British businesses to export. The organisation is urging the Government to pursue greater regulatory alignment with the EU as part of efforts to reduce trade friction and stimulate economic growth.
Fresh Produce Needs A Global Solution
For the fresh produce industry, however, the debate extends beyond whether Britain should rejoin the single market or customs union.
Fresh Produce Consortium Chief Executive Nigel Jenney has warned that any agreement designed to improve trade with Europe must not transfer additional costs, inspections and administrative burdens onto fruit, vegetable, flower and plant imports arriving from the rest of the world.
The UK relies on global suppliers to maintain the affordability and year-round availability of produce that cannot be grown domestically or supplied in sufficient quantities from Europe.
FPC supports measures to make EU trade easier but believes closer alignment must be developed alongside a proportionate, science-led system for non-EU imports, rather than automatically imposing additional EU-style controls on established global supply chains.
"Fresh produce is exactly where this gets tested first short shelf lives, thin margins, and a supply chain that depends on speed," Jenney previously told Freshtalk Daily, thoughts that he also echoed on BBC's Farming Today.
His warning reflects FPC's wider concern that a policy which removes friction from one part of the supply chain, while increasing it elsewhere, would simply move the problem rather than solve it. The organisation has also stressed that industry must be involved from the beginning of any negotiations affecting future border and food import arrangements.
Businesses Back Closer EU Ties
A Business Impact Report from European Movement UK found that 72.8 per cent of participating businesses believed Brexit had negatively affected their operations, while 96.4 per cent said it had harmed their communities.
The survey also found that 78.6 per cent were pessimistic about future growth and 98.2 per cent supported the UK rejoining the single market.
Separately, HM Revenue and Customs research cited by The Independent estimated that EU import and export declarations created a £1.8 billion administrative burden in 2022. The calculation covered 38.6 million declarations and an estimated 15 million hours of administrative work.
There is, however, a more mixed picture across the wider economy. The Chartered Institute of Export and International Trade noted that stronger services exports had offset much of the weakness in goods trade, although the UK's overall real trade volumes continued to lag behind other G7 economies.
Official Government figures show that the value of UK exports reached £950.9 billion in the 12 months to June 2026, an increase of 3.7 per cent in current prices. Goods exports rose by 0.6 per cent, while services exports increased by 6 per cent.
The Government said it was pursuing opportunities through agreements with India, the United States and Gulf Cooperation Council countries while working to reduce unnecessary barriers with the EU, which remains Britain's largest trading partner.
For FPC, the answer cannot be a choice between Europe and the wider world. Any future trade settlement must reduce friction with the EU while protecting the efficient global supply routes that keep fresh produce available, varied and affordable throughout the year.
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