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
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.
Trade Snapshot H1 2026: Food and drink market analysis
The latest FDF Trade Snapshot provides an in-depth analysis of UK food and drink trade performance during the first half of 2026. The report highlights a challenging environment for manufacturers and exporters, with food and drink export volumes falling by 11.7% year-on-year to their third-lowest level this millennium, while imports rose to near record highs. As a result, the UK's food and drink trade deficit has reached its highest level since 2000.
Explore the key trends shaping international trade, including the impact of US tariffs, continuing pressures on exports to the EU, growing import competition, and emerging opportunities in global markets. The report also sets out practical policy recommendations to help improve UK competitiveness, unlock export growth and strengthen the long-term resilience of the food and drink manufacturing sector.
Economic insights
UK Food & Drink Inflation 2025-26 Forecast
Our latest forecast reveals that food inflation is set to rise to 5.7% by December 2025, before slowing to 3.1% by the end of 2026.
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