LONDON: British exports to the United States have slumped since the introduction of US tariffs, official data showed Friday, a day after President Donald Trump lifted import taxes on Scottish whisky.
Exports to the United States have “remained relatively low” since Trump’s global tariffs onslaught in April last year, the Office for National Statistics said in a statement.
The value of goods exports to the US fell by £800 million ($1.1 billion), or around 14 percent, in April 2025 compared with one year earlier, the ONS said.
London and Washington concluded a trade agreement last year capping US tariffs at 10 percent on most British manufactured goods, including on cars.
But a drop in car exports to the US was still a main driver of the overall decline, the ONS said.
It added that car exports have “remained below pre-tariff levels… despite this tariff reduction,” with a cyber attack on Jaguar Land Rover in September also weighing.
A fall in pharmaceutical exports also contributed to the overall drop, possibly linked to US efforts to boost domestic drug production, the ONS said.
Trump announced Thursday he was removing tariffs on Scottish whisky, offering some relief to the sector hit by trade tensions, as King Charles III and Queen Camilla wrapped up their state visit to the US.
“Distillers can breathe a little easier during a period of significant pressure on the sector,” said Mark Kent, chief executive of industry body, the Scotch Whisky Association.
The United States remains the primary export market for Scotch whisky, accounting for $1.2 billion per year.
“Removing the tariffs is certainly good news for the industry, but Scotch consumption in the US has been slowly declining for several decades,” Luke Tegner, head of consulting at data provider IWSR, told AFP.
He added that “there are other long-term factors that are also challenging the industry,” in addition to tariffs.
Despite the impact of tariffs, the ONS said the US still remains the UK’s largest goods export partner.
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