UK import and export trade prospects remain uncertain, according to the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).
Nearly every metric in the Office for National Statistics (ONS) latest trade data saw a decline in December as the volume of UK goods exports fell by 2.7%. Sales of goods to the EU dropped 1.8% year-on-year, and to non-EU countries by 3.6%.
Goods imports rose month-on-month in December by 0.7% with a strong increase in non-EU goods imports of 4.3%. This was offset by a fall in goods imports from the EU of 2.7%.
For 2025, the volume of all UK exports increased by 2% across the year, with imports up by 3.4%.
However, there was a distinct split between goods and services, with sales of products down by 2.1%, while purchases rose by 3.7%.
William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the BCC, said: 'The picture on UK goods exports is deeply worrying, as they continued their downward trend, slumping by 2.1% in 2025.
'There are many reasons for this; geopolitical tensions and trade policy volatility are key factors. But government must take a more proactive stance in response to kickstart growth.
'The key focus in 2026 must be on lowering tariffs and non-tariff trade barriers. That means working with Chambers and businesses on stronger trade promotion, and better support to access new markets.
'Given the Office for Budget Responsibility's latest forecast for a significant cooling in export growth for 2026, the time for action is now.'