UK whisky exports to US drop as gin grows
Exports of UK whisky to the US fell by 3.9% by value in the first half (H1) of 2025 but gin rose by double digits.
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) released its H1 Trade Snapshot, covering the performance of the UK’s food and drink exports.
UK whisky exports to the US declined in both volume and value, down by 3.4% and 3.9% respectively. Whisky is the number-one UK food and drink export to the US with a value of £458.9m (US$617.1m) but it was the only category in the top 10 food and drink exports to the US to decline during H1.
UK goods were hit with a 10% US tariff in April this year, which is costing the Scotch whisky industry almost £20m (US$27m) a month in lost exports, according to the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA).
However, the FDF noted that total UK food and drink exports rose by 18.9% to the US, despite the 10% US tariff on goods, such as whisky.
After whisky, salmon is the second-biggest UK food and drink export to the US, followed by gin.
Gin saw its US export volumes rise by 7.1% in H1 and by 23.8% in value to £99.6m (US$134m).
Spirits, the seventh-biggest UK food and drink export to the US, skyrocketed by 45.9% in value to £48.2m (US$64.8m). Volumes were up by 8.3%.
Global exports and other regions
As a whole, UK food and drink exports globally grew by 6.8% to £12.4bn (US$16.7bn) in H1. Excluding alcohol, exports totalled £8.9bn (US$12bn).
Whisky is the UK’s leading food and drink export but its total export volumes fell by 3.1% in H1 2025. However, its value rose by 1% to £2.5 billion (US$3.36bn).
Gin’s global export value soared by 17.6% to £298.4m (US$401.3m) and delivered a 6.3% rise in volume.
Whisky was the biggest UK food and drink export to the EU, valued at £679.5m (US$913.9m) in H1, and to Germany (valued at £78.6m/US$105.7m).
In France, whisky was the second-biggest, after salmon, valued at £207.2m (US$278.6m). Whisky was also the second-largest food and drink export (after lamb and mutton) in Belgium, where it hit a value of £37.5m (US$50.4m).
Gin and whisky boom in Turkey
Whisky is by far the biggest UK food and drink export to Turkey, where it grew by double digits in both volume (34.1%) and value (99.9%) to £131.8m (US$177.3m).
Gin was the country’s third-biggest UK food and drink export (after eggs), rising by 28.1% in value to £14.4m (US$19.4m). Gin’s exports by volume to Turkey grew by 44.1% in H1.
Spirits exports, on the other hand, decreased by 18.5% in volume to Turkey, while value dipped by 2% to £1.9m (US$2.5m).
Exports of UK food and drink to New Zealand increased by almost a fifth (19.7%) by volume in H1.
Meanwhile, UK food and drink exports were up by 11.6% by volume to India. The two nations have signed a trade deal, expected to come into force in 2026, which will slash tariff rates on UK-made whisky and gin.
Balwinder Dhoot, the FDF’s director of growth and sustainability, said: “It’s positive to see an increase in export volumes compared with last year, and now we need to go further.
“Government and industry can work together to use this as a springboard to turbocharge export growth.”
The FDF is hoping to work with the government to boost the UK’s overseas food and drink sales and is calling for improved access to markets such as Turkey and Mexico, and the lowering of US tariffs.
“This would help give industry a much-needed boost, helping businesses to sell more world-class British food and drink around the globe,” added Dhoot.
Statistics from the SWA showed the value of Scotch whisky exports fell by 3.7% to £5.4bn (US$6.7bn) in 2024 compared with the previous year. However, exports by volume rose by 3.9%.
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