🇬🇧 United Kingdom imports of polyethylene: 2024 trade data
The United Kingdom imported $1.38 billion of polyethylene in 2024 (967.3 thousand tonnes). Its share of world imports was 2%. That is 6% less than in 2023. Across 2017-2024 the long-run trend was broadly stable. The peak in this period was 2022, at $2.09 billion.
Public statistics, latest reported year 2024. Values in US dollars.
Imports of polyethylene by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1.38B | 967.3K t |
| 2023 | $1.48B | 969.7K t |
| 2022 | $2.09B | 1.19M t |
| 2021 | $1.95B | 1.15M t |
| 2020 | $1.34B | 1.17M t |
| 2019 | $1.73B | 1.29M t |
| 2018 | $1.81B | 1.22M t |
| 2017 | $1.85B | 1.28M t |
Where the United Kingdom imports polyethylene from
Most of the value came from United States (19%), Belgium (18%), Germany (13%).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 United States | $262.9M | 19% |
| 🇧🇪 Belgium | $248.7M | 18% |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | $183.0M | 13% |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | $171.1M | 12% |
| 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | $115.8M | 8.4% |
| 🇫🇷 France | $75.1M | 5.4% |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | $37.9M | 2.8% |
| 🇪🇬 Egypt | $33.6M | 2.4% |
| 🇸🇪 Sweden | $31.0M | 2.3% |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | $30.9M | 2.2% |
Types of polyethylene under HS 3901
| 3901.20 | Ethylene polymers: in primary forms, polyethylene having a specific gravity of 0.94 or more | 48% |
| 3901.10 | Ethylene polymers: in primary forms, polyethylene having a specific gravity of less than 0.94 | 25% |
| 3901.40 | Ethylene polymers: in primary forms, ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymers, having a specific gravity of less than 0.94 | 18% |
| 3901.90 | Ethylene polymers: in primary forms, n.e.c. in heading no. 3901 | 5.4% |
| 3901.30 | Ethylene polymers: in primary forms, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers | 4.1% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 3901.
Average import price of polyethylene
The average declared value was about $1.43 per kg, close to the world average of $1.22.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
The United Kingdom also exports polyethylene
In 2024, the United Kingdom exported polyethylene worth $571.6 million (322.1 thousand tonnes). Its share of world exports was 1%. Most of it went to Netherlands (26%), Belgium (19%), France (11%). Among the main buyer markets, Israel grew fastest (+544% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | $148.9M | 26% |
| 🇧🇪 Belgium | $106.7M | 19% |
| 🇫🇷 France | $62.4M | 11% |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | $54.4M | 9.5% |
| 🇵🇱 Poland | $26.0M | 4.6% |
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | $20.2M | 3.5% |
| 🇺🇸 United States | $15.9M | 2.8% |
| 🇨🇿 Czech Republic | $15.1M | 2.6% |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | $12.4M | 2.2% |
| 🇮🇱 Israel | $11.0M | 1.9% |
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 3901: Polymers of ethylene, in primary forms.
Polyethylene trade in the United Kingdom: questions
What is the value of polyethylene imported by the United Kingdom?
The United Kingdom imported polyethylene worth $1.38 billion in 2024 (967.3 thousand tonnes).
Where does the United Kingdom import polyethylene from?
The main supplier countries in 2024 were United States (19%), Belgium (18%), Germany (13%).
What is the average import price of polyethylene in the United Kingdom?
The average declared import value was about $1.43 per kg in 2024, against a world average of $1.22 per kg.
Does the United Kingdom export polyethylene?
Yes. The United Kingdom exported polyethylene worth $571.6 million in 2024, mainly to Netherlands, Belgium, France.
What is the HS code for polyethylene?
Polyethylene falls under HS heading 3901 (Polymers of ethylene, in primary forms). The six-digit codes under it split the product by type.
How can I find the companies trading polyethylene 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.
Polyethylene trade in other countries
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