Leading food and drink product exports from the United Kingdom (UK) 2023, by value

The leading food or drink product exported from the UK in 2023 was whiskey by far. The export value of whiskey reached 5.8 billion British pounds that year. In comparison, milk, cream, and chocolate, the second and third most exported products, only reached about 987 and 859 million British pounds in export value, respectively. 

Scottish whisky

Whisky has been distilled in Scotland for many years and is the origin of all Scotch whisky, so it is no surprise that whisky is a top export from the UK. The Scottish whisky brand, Johnnie Walker, sold 19.2 million 9-liter cases of whisky in 2021. It is the fifth most sold whisky worldwide and it is among the top ten most popular spirit brands worldwide as well.

UK trade within Europe

Despite the impact of Brexit, the UK and the rest of Europe remain important trade partners to one another. After a sharp drop in exports in January 2021, exports of goods from the UK have begun to recover and even exceeded pre-Brexit levels. Ireland, France, and the Netherlands are the leading destinations for food and drink exports from the UK as of 2021. Exports to Ireland reached three billion British pounds.