In 2022, cheese imports into the United Kingdom amounted to 411 thousand metric tons. Since 2003, imports have generally been growing with some slight fluctuation. During 2021, imports of cheese were worth approximately 1.8 billion British pounds.
The UK cheese trade
Cheese exports show a similar trend with an increase of 118 tons seen between 2003 to 2023. As of 2015, the biggest share of exported cheese goes to the Republic of Ireland. Other leading export destinations are the UK's continental neighbors.
Cheese production in the UK
Since 2009, the production output of cheese in the United Kingdom has seen an almost annual increase. Before the upswing of the previous years, production had stagnated for roughly a dozen years just below 400 thousand tons of cheese. The most commonly consumed cheese in the UK is cheddar cheese. In 2021, 360 thousand tons of cheddar cheese were produced in the UK.
Import volume of cheese in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2003 to 2023*
(in 1,000 tons)
* Data is provisional. Cheese includes grated or powdered, processed, blue-veined and fresh (e.g. curd). Data prior to 2020 have been taken from previous reports.
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Defra. (July 17, 2023). Import volume of cheese in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2003 to 2023* (in 1,000 tons) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 21, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/316404/cheese-import-volume-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/
Defra. "Import volume of cheese in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2003 to 2023* (in 1,000 tons)." Chart. July 17, 2023. Statista. Accessed December 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/316404/cheese-import-volume-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/
Defra. (2023). Import volume of cheese in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2003 to 2023* (in 1,000 tons). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/316404/cheese-import-volume-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/
Defra. "Import Volume of Cheese in The United Kingdom (Uk) from 2003 to 2023* (in 1,000 Tons)." Statista, Statista Inc., 17 Jul 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/316404/cheese-import-volume-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/
Defra, Import volume of cheese in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2003 to 2023* (in 1,000 tons) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/316404/cheese-import-volume-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/ (last visited December 21, 2024)
Import volume of cheese in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2003 to 2023* (in 1,000 tons) [Graph], Defra, July 17, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/316404/cheese-import-volume-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/
