UK food and drink trade deficit hits £21bn, the largest since 2000

Britain's trade deficit in food and drink has widened to more than £21 billion, its largest gap since 2000, according to figures cited by industry leaders calling for government action to protect domestic production.

The gap between the UK's food and drink exports and imports has grown as a combination of factors — including the effects of Brexit, conflict in the Middle East, and US tariffs — has weighed on overseas deliveries while imports have risen.

Industry calls for action

Industry leaders described the widening deficit as a "wake-up call" for the government, arguing that protecting homegrown produce should be treated as a matter of national security given the scale of the imbalance.

The deficit reflects a longer-term trend in which the UK has become increasingly reliant on food and drink imports even as its own exporters have faced additional barriers to selling overseas.

The government has not yet detailed a specific policy response to the figures or to industry calls for greater support for domestic food and drink producers.

It remains to be seen whether the trend will continue to worsen or whether current pressures, including tariffs and geopolitical instability, will ease in the coming months.