That dollar amount reflects a 29.3% increase from $630.9 billion five years earlier during 2020 and a 3% year-over-year upturn from $791.9 billion in 2023.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2024, the British pound appreciated by 2.8% against the US dollar from 2023 to 2024. The UK’s stronger local currency makes its imports paid for in weaker US dollars relatively less expensive when converted starting from the British pound.
Gold, cars, crude oil, refined petroleum oils, turbo-jets and mobile phones are among the most valuable products imported into the United Kingdom during 2024.
Overall, the UK’s imports represent 3.4% of the world’s total imports which totaled an estimated $23.968 trillion one year earlier during 2023.
From a continental perspective, almost half (49.6%) of United Kingdom’s total imports by value in 2024 were purchased from fellow European countries (compared to 41.4% from European Union members). Trade partners in Asia supplied 28.5% of import purchases by the United Kingdom while 15.7% originated from suppliers in North America.
Smaller percentages came from Africa (3.5%), Latin America (1.5%) including the Caribbean but excluding Mexico, then Oceania (1.2%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Given the United Kingdom’s population of 68.4 million people, its total $815.9 billion in 2024 imports translates to roughly $12,000 in yearly product demand from every person living in the United Kingdom. That average metric is higher than the $11,600 per capita one year earlier.
United Kingdom’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in the United Kingdom’s import purchases during 2024 at the two-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into the United Kingdom.
- Machinery including computers: US$95.2 billion (11.7% of total imports)
- Gems, precious metals: $93.1 billion (11.4%)
- Vehicles: $88.8 billion (10.9%)
- Mineral fuels including oil: $81.7 billion (10%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $72.2 billion (8.9%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $30 billion (3.7%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $23.7 billion (2.9%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $19.8 billion (2.4%)
- Aircraft, spacecraft: $14.6 billion (1.8%)
- Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefab buildings: $13.2 billion (1.6%)
The United Kingdom’s top 10 import product categories generated almost two-thirds (65.2%) of the overall value of its product purchases from all countries.
The gems and precious metals category posted the greatest increase from 2023 to 2024, up by 47.2% propelled by greater spending on imported gold.
In second place were UK imports of pharmaceuticals (up 9.9%), ahead of the furniture, bedding, lighting, signs and prefabricate buildings (up 5%).
Leading the decliners were imported mineral fuels including oil via an -11.6% reduction year over year.
Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. For a more detailed view of imported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, peruse the sections below.
UK’s Main Imports of Machinery
In 2024, UK importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.
- Turbo-jets: US$22.7 billion (down -11.9% from 2023)
- Computers, optical readers: $16.1 billion (up 5.8%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $4.3 billion (up 11%)
- Piston engine parts: $3.6 billion (up 0.6%)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $3.1 billion (up 6.9%)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $2.9 billion (up 12.9%)
- Air or vacuum pumps: $2.7 billion (down -5%)
- Liquid pumps and elevators: $2.6 billion (up 0.9%)
- Transmission shafts, gears, clutches: $2.4 billion (up 3.3%)
- Machinery parts: $2.3 billion (down -8.9%)
Among these import subcategories, British purchases of miscellaneous machinery (up 12.9%), taps, valves and similar appliances (up 11%) then centrifuges, filters and purifiers (up 6.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among UK businesses and consumers.
UK’s Main Imports of Gems and Precious Metals
UK importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of gems and precious metals during 2024.
- Gold (unwrought): US$77.5 billion (up 61.2% from 2023)
- Platinum (unwrought): $4.6 billion (down -13.1%)
- Silver (unwrought): $4.4 billion (up 25%)
- Jewelry: $3 billion (up 18.9%)
- Precious metal waste, scrap: $1.8 billion (down -14.4%)
- Diamonds (unmounted/unset): $1.1 billion (up 5.9%)
- Imitation jewelry: $370.7 million (down -2.3%)
- Precious/semi-precious stones (unstrung): $228.7 million (up 11.5%)
- Natural pearl/precious stone items: $82.4 million (up 7.7%)
- Synthetic precious stones: $52.3 million (down -14.7%)
Among these import subcategories, British purchases of unwrought gold (up 61.2%), silver (up 25%) then jewelry (up 18.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported gems and precious metals among UK businesses and consumers.
UK’s Main Imports of Vehicles
In 2024, UK importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles.
- Cars: US$56.8 billion (up 0.5% from 2023)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $12.5 billion (down -5.1%)
- Trucks: $11 billion (down -1.9%)
- Tractors: $2.8 billion (down -21.9%)
- Trailers: $1.2 billion (down -13.1%)
- Motorcycles: $992.8 million (down -13%)
- Public-transport vehicles: $928 million (up 102.2%)
- Automobile bodies: $617.2 million (up 1.3%)
- Armored vehicles, tanks: $465.1 million (up 61.1%)
- Motorcycle parts/accessories: $399.5 million (down -12.8%)
Among these import subcategories, British purchases of public-transport vehicles (up 102.2%), armored vehicles including tanks (up 61.1%) then automobile bodies (up 1.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.
These amounts clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported vehicles among UK businesses and consumers.
UK’s Main Imports of Mineral Fuels
In 2024, UK importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels including oil.
- Crude oil: US$31 billion (down -4.6% from 2023)
- Processed petroleum oils: $26.8 billion (down -1.7%)
- Petroleum gases: $17.4 billion (down -32.7%)
- Electrical energy: $3.9 billion (up 0.6%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $989.8 million (up 30%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $541.8 million (down -13.8%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $516.3 million (down -23.4%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $288.6 million (down -55.4%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $72.1 million (up 3.1%)
- Peat: $48.3 million (down -16.1%)
Among these import subcategories, British purchases of high temperature distilled coal tar oils (up 30%), petroleum jelly and mineral waxes (up 3.1%) then electrical energy (up 0.6%) grew from 2023 to 2024.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported mineral fuels-related products among UK businesses and consumers.
See also United Kingdom’s Top 10 Exports, United Kingdom’s Top Trading Partners, UK’s Major Trade Balances with America, United Kingdom’s Top 10 Major Export Companies and United Kingdom’s Exported Services
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles. Accessed on March 8, 2025
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on March 8, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on March 8, 2025
Imported Consumer Products, UK’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products. Accessed on March 8, 2025
X-rates.com, Exchange Rates: British Pound to US Dollar (monthly average 2024). Accessed on March 8, 2025