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On October 30, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) extended over 220 voluntary tariff suspensions announced following the 2021 and 2023 application periods, through June 30, 2026. The announcement synchronizes multiple expiration periods across different suspension applications.

The United Kingdom (UK) is the largest consumer of wood pellets, globally. UK wood pellet regulations have not significantly diverged from the European Union (EU) following Brexit.

The United Kingdom is still facing a cost-of-living crisis. In October 2024, businesses and consumer confidence indexes dropped to the lowest level this year as uncertainty looms with regards to the newly elected Labour administration and what they may announce in the October 30 government budget.

Following the departure of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) in 2021 there was optimism that the UK would adopt a more scientific and proportionate approach to the regulation of genetically engineered (GE) and genetic technology products.

On September 30, the United Kingdom confirmed it will not proceed with the previous Government’s plan to introduce mandatory ‘Not for EU’ labelling in Great Britain (GB).

The UK food and drink industry has faced multiple challenges in recent years, including COVID-19, cost-of-living, and adverse weather conditions. Wet weather in the UK has resulted in a significant decrease in harvests, particularly for crops like wheat, barley, and oilseed rape.

Between February and May 2024, FAS London conducted an extensive survey of UK national food retailers, discount grocery retailers, department store food halls, and independent specialty stores to assess the availability of U.S. food and drink products.

On March 12, the United Kingdom (UK) government announced a public consultation on ‘Fairer Food Labeling.’ The consultation seeks feedback for two proposals on food labeling regulations: (1) on labeling pertaining to country of origin, and (2), on animal welfare labeling relating to methods of production.

The UK is forecast to have one of the lowest grain crops on record in MY 2024/25 following challenging winter planting conditions, a very wet winter, and continued rains now disrupting crop management and spring plantings. Not only is this expected to significantly reduce the planted area, but also average yields.

MY 2023/24 saw rather disappointing yields for the UK rapeseed oilseed crop overall. In MY 2024/25 rapeseed production is forecast even lower at 900 thousand metric tons (MT) due to a combination of poor growing conditions, a sharp fall in the price of rapeseed, pest pressure and the increased attractiveness of agri-environment options.

The United Kingdom (UK) recently announced a number of voluntary tariff suspensions for agricultural and non-agricultural products, including around 70 new agricultural product suspensions.

The UK food ingredients sector is a thriving and competitive market, driven by changing consumer demands, technological advancements, and an emphasis on quality and safety.