Scotch whisky exports dip in 2025 as tariffs bite in US market

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has published its 2025 export figures, showing a slight fall in global export value and a sharper drop in volume as producers face pressure in key markets.

Exports totalled £5.36bn in 2025, down from £5.4bn the year before. By volume, exports fell by 4.3%, with the equivalent of 1.3bn bottles shipped worldwide, around 43 bottles every second. The SWA said international tariffs, higher operating costs in the UK and softer consumer demand have weighed on performance across the supply chain.

The United States, Scotch whisky’s largest market by value, saw volumes fall by 15% following the introduction of a 10% tariff in April 2025. The SWA is calling on the UK Government to secure an agreement with the United States that restores zero-tariff trade. The issue has been raised directly with President Trump by both Prime Minister Starmer and First Minister Swinney.

For the full year, exports to the US slipped by 4% in value to £933m. Volume dropped by 9.2% to the equivalent of 120m bottles. The SWA said the impact of the tariff is particularly evident in the period from May to December 2025, when export value fell by 7% and volume declined by 15%. The trade body also highlighted ongoing concern that a deal to remove Scotch from tariff measures has not been secured almost a year after the tariff was imposed. It added that the risk of further tariff increases is now in focus, with the possibility of a rise to 35% in July this year, as the sector nears the end of a five-year suspension of the 25% single malt tariff linked to the Boeing-Airbus dispute. That tariff, the SWA said, cost producers more than £600m in lost exports between 2019 and 2021.

As well as the situation in the US, the SWA said recent moves to reduce tariffs in India and China will not deliver their full benefit if domestic tax and regulatory costs continue to rise. The association warned that some distilleries have already paused or reduced production and that job losses are being felt in the industry and the wider supply chain. It added that more businesses could close during 2026 without support from Westminster and Holyrood.

Mark Kent, Chief Executive of the SWA, said: “The international trading environment continues to be challenging for Scotch Whisky producers, with tariffs and geo-political tension causing significant turbulence in some key markets. At home, the industry faces soaring costs, from year-on-year duty increases to new packaging taxes. Our member companies tell us they are under strain not felt for decades, and that support is vital to weather the storm.

“While global volatility has become the norm, it has now been joined by an increasingly uncompetitive domestic tax and regulatory environment. The spirits duty increase earlier this month, totalling more than 17% in three years, has clearly impacted jobs, investment potential and economic growth.

“It’s said that form is temporary, but class is permanent. Scotch Whisky is an iconic product which appeals around the world, and the industry’s great resilience means that our long-term potential for continued growth is clear.

“In order to realise this future potential, finalisation of a deal to return zero-tariff trade to the US, vigorously pursuing trade deals with Thailand, Mercosur and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, and no further tax increases in the UK must be immediate priorities. It is within both the UK and Scottish Governments’ power to facilitate the supportive environment producers need, boosting and sustaining growth for Scotch Whisky and the wider economy, and we stand ready to work in partnership to achieve that aim.”