Plastic-coated paper imports in the United Kingdom: data, top suppliers and prices
Imports of plastic-coated paper by the United Kingdom reached $261.0 million in 2024 (79.7 thousand tonnes). That makes it the 7th largest importer of this product worldwide, out of 203 countries. That is close to the 2023 level. 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 | $261.0M | 79.7K t |
| 2023 | $262.2M | 75.7K t |
| 2022 | $268.6M | 83.3K t |
| 2021 | $229.1M | 76.6K t |
| 2020 | $212.2M | 90.3K t |
| 2019 | $204.4M | 82.3K t |
| 2018 | $219.6M | 85.4K t |
| 2017 | $214.5M | 93.2K t |
Where the United Kingdom imports plastic-coated paper from
Most of the value came from Germany (27%), Netherlands (13%), Finland (10%). Trade is spread widely: the top three suppliers together make up only 49%. Among the main suppliers, China grew fastest (+54% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | $70.7M | 27% |
| Netherlands | $33.0M | 13% |
| Finland | $25.4M | 9.7% |
| Poland | $16.8M | 6.4% |
| Italy | $15.7M | 6% |
| France | $14.3M | 5.5% |
| Spain | $12.7M | 4.9% |
| Sweden | $12.3M | 4.7% |
| Czech Republic | $11.6M | 4.5% |
| China | $9.5M | 3.7% |
Average import price per kg
The average declared value was about $3.27 per kg, close to the world average of $2.78.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
Plastic-coated paper exports from the United Kingdom
Exports of plastic-coated paper by the United Kingdom reached $69.8 million in 2024 (13.4 thousand tonnes). Its share of world exports was 1%. The largest buyer markets were United States (16%), Germany (13%), Luxembourg (8%). Trade is spread widely: the top three buyer markets together make up only 37%. Among the main buyer markets, Luxembourg grew fastest (+96% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $11.2M | 16% |
| Germany | $8.8M | 13% |
| Luxembourg | $5.7M | 8.1% |
| France | $5.2M | 7.4% |
| China | $4.9M | 7% |
| Poland | $4.1M | 5.8% |
| Spain | $2.3M | 3.3% |
| Netherlands | $2.2M | 3.2% |
| Ireland | $2.0M | 2.9% |
| Mexico | $1.8M | 2.5% |
Who is behind these numbers in the United Kingdom?
The shipment records behind United Kingdom plastic-coated paper imports (HS 4811.59): companies, dates, quantities and declared values.
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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 4811.59: Paper and paperboard: coated, impregnated or covered with plastics (excluding adhesives), other than bleached and weighing more than 150g/m2, other than goods of heading no. 4803, 4809, or 4810.
Common questions
What is the value of plastic-coated paper imported by the United Kingdom?
The United Kingdom imported plastic-coated paper worth $261.0 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 79.7 thousand tonnes. That ranks it 7th of 203 countries worldwide, with 4% of world imports. The value was down 0% on 2023.
Which countries supply plastic-coated paper to the United Kingdom?
Germany was the largest supplier with 27% of the value ($70.7 million), followed by the Netherlands (13%) and Finland (10%). The top three together account for 49%, out of 50 supplier countries in total. China grew fastest among the top ten, up 54% on the year.
What is the average import price of plastic-coated paper per kg?
The average declared import value was about $3.27 per kg in 2024, 18% above the world average of $2.78 per kg. Declared value divided by weight mixes every grade, so read it as a benchmark rather than a quote.
How have imports of plastic-coated paper to the United Kingdom changed since 2017?
Imports went from $214.5 million in 2017 to $261.0 million in 2024, an increase of 22%. The peak was 2022 at $268.6 million. Over 8 years the average was $233.9 million a year.
Does the United Kingdom also export plastic-coated paper?
Yes. The United Kingdom exported $69.8 million worth of this product in 2024, mainly to the United States, Germany and Luxembourg. On balance the United Kingdom is a net importer of this product, by about $191.2 million a year.
What is the HS code for plastic-coated paper?
The HS code for plastic-coated paper is subheading 4811.59. It sits in HS chapter 48 (paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, of paper or paperboard). The full list of codes and descriptions is on the HS 4811 page.
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
EximDataX has a direct customs feed for the United Kingdom, so the importers and exporters behind these totals are visible by name, shipment by shipment. Ask for a live look at your product.
Same product, other countries
World plastic-coated paper trade: top importers and exporters
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