Insights & analysis

Industry at a Glance
State of Industry Report
Trade Snapshot
Economic Insights

Industry insights & analysis at your fingertips

FDF publishes regular economic analysis and insights highlighting the strength of UK food and drink manufacturing and opportunities to drive growth and productivity improvements.

The industry at a glance

All publications

food production quality inspection in factory

Industry at a Glance

The food and drink industry is the UK’s largest manufacturing sector, and forms part of a diverse and complex supply chain. Read on for an outline of key industry data, highlighting the economic impact of the sector and achievements across diet & health and environmental sustainability.

Facts & stats

Powering Communities across the UK

The UK’s food and drink manufacturing sector is a cornerstone of our national economy and a vital part of communities across every region of the country. This report showcases the contribution of the sector to every region and nation of the UK, pulling together statistics and case studies which demonstrate the industry’s impact.

Regional Report

State of Industry report

State of Industry Report Q2 2026

Business confidence among food and drink manufacturers remained downbeat at -31% in Q2 2026, extending a run of negative sentiment for nine consecutive quarters.

With 88% of respondents saying that business conditions have deteriorated since Labour came into power, manufacturers have set out the action they want the Prime Minister to take to help turn the tide. Priorities include keeping labour cost increases in line with inflation, reducing energy costs and reviewing the regulatory burden facing businesses.

Read the report

Trade Snapshot

Trade Snapshot Q1 2026: Food and drink market analysis

FDF’s Q1 2026 Trade Snapshot reveals that food export volumes fell 8.9% year-on-year, reaching their lowest levels in a decade outside of Q1 2021, at the height of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, imports of food and drink to the UK grew by 2.6% to £16.3bn, widening the gap between exports and imports. FDF is warning that this is a signal that UK manufacturers are losing ground to global competitors.

Read the report