UK whisky exports drop in 2025 as gin grows
Exports of UK whisky saw both volume and value fall in 2025, while gin grew in both areas according to the Food and Drink Federation’s (FDF) latest figures.
According to 2025 figures released by the FDF, the UK’s food and drink exports reached £25.6 billion (US$33.76bn) last year.
This is the first time that the nation’s food and drink exports have passed the £25bn mark, according to records from the FDF’s Trade Snapshot report.
According to the report, UK export values hit a ‘record high’ in 2025, growing by 4.8% year-on-year, while volume for kilogram (6%) and litre (6.2%) were both up, which was still highlighted as “considerably below pre-Brexit levels” by the FDF.
Excluding alcohol, food and drink exports were up 6.9% in 2025.
Whisky ranked as the top valued food and drink export in the UK in 2025, clocking in at £5.5bn (US$6.3bn). Value and volume were both down for whisky, however, by 0.8% and 4.3% respectively.
Gin is the other alcohol category to place in the UK’s top 10 food and drinks exports, ranking 10th on the list.
The category’s exports totalled £602.6m (US$795,977) in 2025. Volume was up slightly by 0.3%, while value saw double-digit growth of 13.7%.
Alongside gin, chocolate, milk and cream, beef, and lamb and mutton all grew in value by double digits. Salmon and breakfast cereals, meanwhile, joined whisky with value decreases.
Ireland was the UK’s biggest food and drink export market with exports hitting £4.5bn (US$5.97bn), which marked a 7.3% rise on 2024’s amount. France with £2.9bn (up by 1%) and the US with £2.8bn (up by 3.6%) then followed as the second and third-biggest markets.
In the US, which is the UK’s largest non-EU export market, food and drink exports were 8.6% lower in the second half of 2025 than they were in the same period in 2024, due to tariffs.
Growing markets
Colombia was said to be the fastest-growing export market for UK food and drink with 153.2% growth, followed by Pakistan and Algeria.
Additionally, India was highlighted for growth where food and drink exports increased by 12.4% over 2025, reaching £330.3m (US$436m).
The FDF noted that the UK-India free trade agreement (FTA) signed in July 2025 is the “most significant post-Brexit trade deal, and the period between now and implementation is an opportunity to build distributor relationships and prepare for the commercial opportunity”.
The agreement is expected to come into force from summer 2026.
Lastly, Europe is regarded as the UK’s most important trade partner. It represents 62.5% of exports with £14.8bn (US$17.1bn).
Whisky led the way in Europe as the UK’s top export food and drink product with £1.5bn (US$1.98bn).
Whisky was also the top export product in Uruguay (£38.7m/US$51m) and the fourth biggest in the Philippines (£6.2m/US$8.1m).
In Uruguay, gin (£1.8m/US$2.37m) and vodka (£400,000/US$528,486) were also top export products below whisky.
Karen Betts, chief executive of the FDF, said: “British food and drink is sought after worldwide – it is known for its high quality, innovation, and connection to our cultural heritage.
“It’s good to see some British products flying in overseas markets, and others holding their own in tough trading conditions. But rising production costs, tariffs and behind the border barriers, as well as worsening household budgets in some markets, mean that real export growth continues to be challenging. Conflict in the Middle East only makes this harder.
“With export volumes still far from pre-Brexit levels, the government needs to step up and support exporters to enter and become established in global markets.”
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