Imports from the UK's leading trading partner Belgium continue to slide with a 28% declline in May - the third month in a row of substantial decreases in the volume of cross-channel business.
The statistics, compiled by the Furnishing Report from HMRC data, shows the decline in value was only slightly different at 27%, suggesting that cost price inflation is easing and more discounting may be coming through to keep carpet rolling in from the continent.
Global carpet import volumes into the U.K. fell 7.9% in May while the Netherlands was up 10% but importers further afield were suffering - China (-37pc), India (-7.4pc) and Turkey (-12pc).