The most valuable imports into the United Kingdom also include mobile phones, medicines, refined petroleum oils and auto parts or accessories. Computers, computer parts or accessories represent other potential areas where United Kingdom’s domestic supply lags demand.
The following list shows on which product categories UK importers spent the most. Unlike most information currently available on the web, the items below are detailed at the 4-digit tariff code level.
This level of granularity can help entrepreneurs identify more precisely which products in which United Kingdom has strong demand but competitive disadvantages compared with other nations. Innovation can transform these disadvantages into lucrative business opportunities.
For the most recent four-digit HTS code data, please see the link to United Kingdom’s Top 10 Imports article in the See also paragraph above Research Sources below.
Highest Value UK Import Products
Below are the 20 highest value import products delivered to UK importers in 2017. Shown within brackets is the year-over-year change in value for each imported product.
- Cars: US$43.3 billion (Up 11.8% from 2013 to 2017)
- Gold (unwrought): $35.2 billion (Up 131.8%)
- Crude oil: $20.9 billion (Down -47.9%)
- Turbo-jets: $20.6 billion (Up 25.5%)
- Phone system devices including smartphones: $18.4 billion (Up 5.2%)
- Medication mixes in dosage: $17.4 billion (Down -1.3%)
- Processed petroleum oils: $16.6 billion (Down -39.9%)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $15.7 billion (Up 1.9%)
- Computers, optical readers: $12.6 billion (Down -12.5%)
- Petroleum gases: $11.2 billion (Down -17.1%)
- Blood fractions (including antisera): $10.3 billion (Up 34.4%)
- Aircraft, spacecraft: $9.6 billion (Up 16894349.1%)
- Trucks: $7 billion (Up 15.7%)
- Integrated circuits/microassemblies: $5.1 billion (Up 185.7%)
- Aircraft parts: $5 billion (Down -6.8%)
- Miscellaneous furniture: $4.5 billion (Up 13.1%)
- TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $4.5 billion (Down -1.1%)
- Insulated wire/cable: $4.4 billion (Up 3%)
- Computer parts, accessories: $4.2 billion (Up 46.1%)
- Medication mixes not in dosage: $4.1 billion (Up 220%)
Among these product categories, aircraft and spacecraft posted the greatest increase in UK import purchases exploding from just $57,000 during 2013 up to $9.6 billion in 2017.
In second place were imported medication mixes not in dosage which improved by an estimated 220% over the same 5-year period.
UK imports of integrated circuits and microassemblies also showed an impressive gain in 2017 up 185.7%, followed by imported gold up 131.8%.
See also United Kingdom’s Top Trading Partners, United Kingdom’s Top 10 Imports and United Kingdom’s Top 10 Major Export Companies
Research Sources:
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on February 17, 2018
The World Factbook, Field Listing: Imports and World Population, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on February 17, 2018
Trade Map, International Trade Centre, www.intracen.org/marketanalysis. Accessed on February 17, 2018