Imports decline reflects slow start to the year
March 15, 2023
Carpet imports showed a sluggish start to the year, reversing a revival before Christmas.
The latest figures compiled by The Furnishing Report from HMRC data, show a decline in volumes of 6.5% in January but most striking is the 4.3% drop in values to a total of £73.2m.
This value drop is the first for nearly a year – for several months, rising inflation has outpaced the decline in volumes to show an overall gain.
Belgium continues to suffer after a torrid year of falling exports to the UK in 2022 and January was no exception with a 23% decline in value and imports from India were a third down.
The winners were the Netherlands which increased its exports nearly 7% and Turkey, up 20%, but its figure pre-date the disasterous earthquake in the country in Feburuary.
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