Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

UK exports enjoyed steepest rise of all G7 nations in April

UK exports enjoyed steepest rise of all G7 nations in April
Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images
AFP via Getty Images

In a remarkable reversal of fortune, the UK topped the list of G7 nations’ export growth figures in April. The international delivery expert ParcelHero says new data shows UK exports soared by 5.86 per cent in April, to $38.25bn (around £30.74bn, seasonally adjusted). That was the biggest percentage rise in exports of all the G7 economies, according to new OECD figures.

"UK exports performed healthily in April, with a rise of 5.86 per cent over a disappointing March. In March, the UK actually came bottom of the list of G7 exporters, down -5.02 per cent at $36.14bn (£29.78bn, seasonally adjusted)," said ParcelHero’s Head of Consumer Research, David Jinks M.I.L.T.


"That makes April’s bounce-back a truly encouraging performance, especially as Japan, the country that enjoyed the second highest percentage improvement in exports, had just a 2.52 per cent increase.

"In contrast to the UK’s exports success, US exports plummeted by -5.30 per cent against March, leaving it at the bottom of the percentage change table. Even so, the US still topped the G7’s list in terms of the actual value of exports at $163.82bn (around £129.44bn).

"Britain’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures broadly align with the OECD’s April results (though it values them at a slightly higher £31.4bn). It says a 7.3 per cent (£1.1bn) rise in exports to non-EU countries was largely responsible for the jump.

"The US took the lion’s share of Britain’s non-EU exports, and the US is now ParcelHero’s No.1 individual export market. That makes sense when you look at the USA’s imports in April, which rose by 2.14 per cent to $260.92bn.

"Imagine the opportunities the US will offer UK exporters if that elusive UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is ever reached. Credit where it’s due, Prime Minister Sunak did recently sign an 'Atlantic Declaration' that could help UK companies selling green tech, such as car batteries, to the US. Significant hurdles in US trade remain, however. Most UK goods exported to the US that are valued at over $800 (the US import tax threshold) are still subject to tariffs of zero to 37.5 per cent, with the typical rate being 5.63 per cent.

US duties difficulties aside, the UK’s buoyant April exports make a welcome change from recent gloomy economic news. Below is the full G7 export “league” table for April (as a percentage change from March):

  • UK – 5.86%
  • Japan – 2.52%
  • Germany – 1.51%
  • Canada – 1.22%
  • France – 0.96%
  • Italy – 0.93%
  • USA – -5.30%

More for you

Freight crime cost over £680 million

iStock image

Freight crime cost over £680 million

Freight-related crime cost the UK economy an estimated £680-700 million in 2023, when accounting for lost revenues, VAT, and insurance costs, revealed a recent report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Freight and Logistics.

The study, funded by the Road Haulage Association (RHA), documented 5,370 reported incidents of HGV and cargo crime across the UK last year, a 5 per cent increase on the previous year. Experts suggest that the actual figures could be significantly higher due to under-reporting. The direct value of stolen goods reached £68.3 million.

Keep ReadingShow less
 a glass jar of honey
Photo: iStock

British beekeepers urge retailers to stock local honey as imported products fail authenticity test

British Beekeepers’ Association (BBKA), which represents hobbyist beekeepers, has urged retailers to stock local honey, after a new research raised significant questions about the composition of blended honey samples imported to the UK and sold at supermarkets.

In a recent authenticity test, 96 per cent of samples of imported honey from supermarkets were found to be ‘atypical’ for honey, compared to 100 per cent of UK beekeeper samples that were deemed ‘typical’.

Keep ReadingShow less
​Illegal vapes

Illegal vapes seized in Swindon raids

Photo: Wiltshire Police

Five arrested after seizure of illegal vapes worth thousands of pounds in Swindon

Wiltshire Police have arrested five people and seized more than £55,000 worth of illicit vapes, tobacco and alcohol following a series of warrants in the Broadgreen area of Swindon.

In a joint operation HMRC and Trading Standards, officers executed four warrants in Manchester Road at three stores and a property on Tuesday as part of the force’s ongoing Clear Hold Build work within Broadgreen.

Keep ReadingShow less
Volumatic welcomes new FCA rules safeguarding access to cash

Volumatic welcomes new FCA rules safeguarding access to cash

As industry leaders is cash handling, Volumatic has long supported the use of cash and the importance of maintaining access to cash for both consumers and businesses. The company recognises the importance of the new set of rules created by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) two months ago, to safeguard access to cash for businesses and consumers across the UK.

Since introduction, the new rules are intended to ensure that individuals and businesses who rely on cash can continue to access it and the outcome has already sparked the creation of 15 new banking hubs across the UK, including one in Scotland, with many more to follow.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jisp unveils new NPD service

Jisp unveils new NPD service

Retail technology company Jisp has launched an NPD service as part of its new Direct to Retailer business unit.

The new NPD service will allow brands to launch or trial new products in a guaranteed number of convenience store locations, with on the ground review of execution by Jisp’s retail growth manager team, and performance data and insights deliverable through its scanning technology and back-office systems.

Keep ReadingShow less