🇬🇧 United Kingdom imports of alcohol: 2024 trade data
The United Kingdom imported $487.0 million of alcohol in 2024 (588.1 thousand tonnes). Its share of world imports was 1%. The value was almost unchanged from 2023. Over 2017-2024 it shrank by about 5% a year on average. The peak in this period was 2018, at $736.5 million.
Public statistics, latest reported year 2024. Values in US dollars.
Imports of alcohol by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $487.0M | 588.1K t |
| 2023 | $500.1M | 491.7K t |
| 2022 | $683.5M | 606.0K t |
| 2021 | $615.5M | 668.0K t |
| 2020 | $533.1M | 655.2K t |
| 2019 | $567.0M | 603.3K t |
| 2018 | $736.5M | 622.9K t |
| 2017 | $714.5M | 568.2K t |
Where the United Kingdom imports alcohol from
Most of the value came from Germany (31%), Netherlands (20%), United States (13%). Among the main suppliers, Ireland grew fastest (+78% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 🇩🇪 Germany | $148.9M | 31% |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | $98.0M | 20% |
| 🇺🇸 United States | $64.6M | 13% |
| 🇧🇪 Belgium | $45.8M | 9.4% |
| 🇫🇷 France | $36.7M | 7.5% |
| 🇨🇳 China | $25.3M | 5.2% |
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | $9.3M | 1.9% |
| 🇮🇩 Indonesia | $7.0M | 1.4% |
| 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | $6.5M | 1.3% |
| 🇿🇦 South Africa | $6.1M | 1.3% |
Types of alcohol under HS 2905
| 2905.11 | Alcohols: saturated monohydric, methanol (methyl alcohol) | 21% |
| 2905.31 | Alcohols: acyclic, diols: ethylene glycol (ethanediol) | 12% |
| 2905.45 | Alcohols: polyhydric, glycerol | 11% |
| 2905.32 | Alcohols: acyclic, diols: propylene glycol (propane-1, 2-diol) | 8.6% |
| 2905.12 | Alcohols: saturated monohydric, propan-1-ol (propyl alcohol) and propan-2-ol (isopropyl alcohol) | 6.6% |
| 2905.44 | Alcohols: polyhydric, d-glucitol (sorbitol) | 6.1% |
| 2905.19 | Alcohols: saturated monohydric, n.e.c. in item no. 2905.1 | 5.6% |
| 2905.49 | Alcohols: polyhydric, n.e.c. in item no. 2905.4 | 4.2% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 2905.
Average import price of alcohol
The average declared value was about $0.83 per kg, 48% above the world average of $0.56. This usually points to higher-grade or processed goods.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
The United Kingdom also exports alcohol
The United Kingdom exported $107.0 million of alcohol in 2024 (38.9 thousand tonnes). Most of it went to Netherlands (20%), United States (15%), Belgium (14%). Trade is spread widely: the top three buyer markets together make up only 49%. Among the main buyer markets, Netherlands grew fastest (+310% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | $21.0M | 20% |
| 🇺🇸 United States | $16.3M | 15% |
| 🇧🇪 Belgium | $15.2M | 14% |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | $8.0M | 7.5% |
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | $6.4M | 6% |
| 🇫🇷 France | $5.7M | 5.3% |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | $5.0M | 4.7% |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | $4.8M | 4.4% |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | $2.4M | 2.3% |
| 🇪🇬 Egypt | $1.3M | 1.2% |
Who is behind these numbers in the United Kingdom?
Public statistics stop at country totals and the last published year. EximDataX shows the shipment records underneath: the companies, dates, quantities and declared values, updated weekly.
Shipment records are in the platform
Tell us what you trade and we will show you the latest records on a live call.
Direct customs feed: shipment-level records from the official customs source.
Updated weekly on EximDataX (some markets daily), while public statistics stop at 2024.
Source: CEPII BACI (reconciled UN Comtrade data), HS 2017 edition, release 202601, Etalab Open Licence 2.0. Annual values in US dollars at the customs border; quantities in tonnes where reported. HS 2905: Acyclic alcohols and their halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives.
Alcohol trade in the United Kingdom: questions
What is the value of alcohol imported by the United Kingdom?
The United Kingdom imported alcohol worth $487.0 million in 2024 (588.1 thousand tonnes).
Where does the United Kingdom import alcohol from?
The main supplier countries in 2024 were Germany (31%), Netherlands (20%), United States (13%).
What is the average import price of alcohol in the United Kingdom?
The average declared import value was about $0.83 per kg in 2024, against a world average of $0.56 per kg.
Does the United Kingdom export alcohol?
Yes. The United Kingdom exported alcohol worth $107.0 million in 2024, mainly to Netherlands, United States, Belgium.
What is the HS code for alcohol?
Alcohol falls under HS heading 2905 (Acyclic alcohols and their halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives). The six-digit codes under it split the product by type.
How can I find the companies trading alcohol with the United Kingdom?
These public statistics stop at country level. EximDataX has a direct customs feed for the United Kingdom with shipment-level records, updated weekly, where you can see the importers and exporters by name.
Alcohol trade in other countries
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