Fewer Barriers, Stronger Trade: Smoother Borders Could Unlock £12 Billion for the UK Economy

Reducing trade barriers between the United Kingdom and its key partners could unlock around £12 billion in long-term economic output. According to Logistics UK, this is equal to roughly £400 per UK household.

The figure is not guaranteed revenue. It represents the potential benefit of bringing UK trade intensity closer to its 2019 level.

Research by MDS Transmodal for Logistics UK shows that total UK goods trade by tonnage has fallen by almost 10% in the decade since the Brexit referendum. Goods imports declined by 3.6%, while exports fell by 20.7%. UK exports to the EU decreased by 15.9%, and exports to the rest of the world dropped by 37.2%.

Industry representatives point to more complex border procedures, additional certificates, duplicated data submissions and regulatory differences between the UK and the EU as major causes of this decline.

One of the most important proposed solutions is a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement between the UK and the EU. It could simplify the movement of meat, dairy products, fish, plants and other controlled goods. Logistics UK estimates that simpler procedures could reduce export costs for affected agri-food products by 5–8% and save around £150–£250 per consignment.

This is especially important for groupage transport. One trailer may carry dozens of smaller shipments, while administrative and certification fees can be charged separately for each consignment.

Another priority is a modern Single Trade Window for customs and commercial data. It would allow businesses to submit information once instead of entering the same details into several systems, reducing errors, duplicated work and border delays.

For companies, these reforms could mean lower costs, more predictable transit times and better supply-chain planning. However, successful UK–EU trade is already possible when routes, commodity codes, customs requirements and documents are prepared correctly.

LOADSTAR UNITY LTD organises road, sea and multimodal freight movements between the United Kingdom, the European Union and Ukraine. Our team handles full-load and groupage transport, customs coordination, cargo insurance and delivery to the final consignee.