Hard aged cheese imports in the United Kingdom: data, top suppliers and prices
Imports of hard aged cheese by the United Kingdom reached $1.32 billion in 2024 (192.4 thousand tonnes). That makes it the 5th largest importer of this product worldwide, out of 222 countries. Value rose 6% on 2023. Across 2017-2024 the long-run trend was broadly stable.
Public statistics, latest complete year (2024). Values in US dollars. Page updated .
Imports by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1.32B | 192.4K t |
| 2023 | $1.25B | 189.6K t |
| 2022 | $1.11B | 172.6K t |
| 2021 | $1.08B | 181.2K t |
| 2020 | $1.24B | 247.2K t |
| 2019 | $1.24B | 274.5K t |
| 2018 | $1.27B | 262.0K t |
| 2017 | $1.10B | 235.9K t |
Where the United Kingdom imports hard aged cheese from
Most of the value came from Ireland (20%), France (16%), Cyprus (12%). Trade is spread widely: the top three suppliers together make up only 48%. Among the main suppliers, New Zealand grew fastest, more than tenfold on the year before.
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Ireland | $259.9M | 20% |
| France | $216.5M | 16% |
| Cyprus | $162.0M | 12% |
| Italy | $158.6M | 12% |
| Netherlands | $128.9M | 9.8% |
| Greece | $117.0M | 8.9% |
| Slovakia | $45.4M | 3.4% |
| Spain | $44.5M | 3.4% |
| New Zealand | $43.8M | 3.3% |
| Germany | $29.2M | 2.2% |
Average import price per kg
The average declared value was about $6.87 per kg, close to the world average of $6.07.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
Hard aged cheese exports from the United Kingdom
In 2024, the United Kingdom exported hard aged cheese worth $705.8 million (111.8 thousand tonnes). Its share of world exports was 3%. The largest buyer markets were France (22%), Netherlands (12%), United States (12%). Trade is spread widely: the top three buyer markets together make up only 47%. Among the main buyer markets, United Arab Emirates grew fastest (+60% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| France | $157.0M | 22% |
| Netherlands | $86.0M | 12% |
| United States | $85.9M | 12% |
| Ireland | $56.8M | 8.1% |
| Germany | $37.3M | 5.3% |
| Denmark | $34.4M | 4.9% |
| Spain | $26.4M | 3.7% |
| United Arab Emirates | $22.0M | 3.1% |
| Australia | $17.6M | 2.5% |
| Canada | $16.4M | 2.3% |
Who is behind these numbers in the United Kingdom?
The shipment records behind United Kingdom hard aged cheese imports (HS 0406.90): companies, dates, quantities and declared values.
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.
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 0406.90: Dairy produce: cheese (not grated, powdered or processed), n.e.c. in heading no. 0406.
Common questions
What is the value of hard aged cheese imported by the United Kingdom?
The United Kingdom imported hard aged cheese worth $1.32 billion in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 192.4 thousand tonnes. That ranks it 5th of 222 countries worldwide, with 5% of world imports. The value was up 6% on 2023.
Which countries supply hard aged cheese to the United Kingdom?
Ireland was the largest supplier with 20% of the value ($259.9 million), followed by France (16%) and Cyprus (12%). The top three together account for 48%, out of 42 supplier countries in total.
What is the average import price of hard aged cheese per kg?
The average declared import value was about $6.87 per kg in 2024, 13% above the world average of $6.07 per kg. The figure blends every grade shipped, so it works as a reference point rather than a quote.
How have imports of hard aged cheese to the United Kingdom changed since 2017?
Imports went from $1.10 billion in 2017 to $1.32 billion in 2024, an increase of 20%. 2024 was the highest year in the period. Over 8 years the average was $1.20 billion a year.
Does the United Kingdom also export hard aged cheese?
Yes. The United Kingdom exported $705.8 million worth of this product in 2024, mainly to France, the Netherlands and the United States. On balance the United Kingdom is a net importer of this product, by about $616.4 million a year.
What is the HS code for hard aged cheese?
The HS code for hard aged cheese is subheading 0406.90. It sits in HS chapter 04 (dairy produce; birds' eggs; natural honey; edible products of animal origin, not elsewhere specified or included). The full list of codes and descriptions is on the HS 0406 page.
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
The totals here are public statistics; the company-level detail sits in EximDataX, which has a direct customs feed for the United Kingdom. Tell us your product to see it live.
Same product, other countries
More trade data for the United Kingdom
See what your buyers are buying.Then decide.
Everything we show you comes from official customs filings — records, not claims. 30 minutes. Your shipment. Your HS code. Real platform. If you don’t see something new about your market by the end of the call, we walk away. No follow-ups.