UK goods export businesses: transportation and storage
UK goods export businesses: transportation and storage stood at 3.6% in Jul 2026, according to ONS — Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS). It is one of the indicators in the Exporting, importing and US tariffs (BICS) table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Sep 2024 to Jul 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Exporting, importing and US tariffs (BICS) table
| Indicator | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | 10-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exported goods only | |||||||||||
| Transportation & storage | 3.6 | 5 | 4 | 5.8 | 2.2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2.7 | ||
| Accommodation & food service | 4.2 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 1.7 |
Understanding UK goods export businesses: transportation and storage
Logistics operators, freight handlers, and haulage enterprises throughout the United Kingdom moving physical merchandise across international borders isolate their operational feedback within this distinct functional slice. Freight forwarding entities, warehouse operators managing physical inventory destined for foreign ports, and cargo transport providers report their trade activity here, separating them cleanly from sibling rows representing factory fabricators, hospitality venues, or professional service offices. Excluded from this specific classification are businesses whose cross-border footprint relies on digital delivery channels, intangible asset transfers, or domestic-only courier routing.
Evaluating these logistics metrics necessitates accounting for fluctuating global shipping schedules, fuel price volatility, and port congestion episodes that can skew monthly respondent sentiment independently of underlying trade demand. Early survey estimates undergo regular revisions as late returns arrive from freight operators, meaning month-on-month comparisons can exaggerate volatility. Analysts must recognise that this series records the share of transport firms handling physical exports rather than freight tonnage handled, tariff rates paid, or financial turnover generated by international shipping operations.
Frequently asked questions
- Which types of businesses are captured in this transportation and storage trade series?
- Freight forwarders, logistics handlers, and cargo transport operators moving physical merchandise across international borders.
- How do early survey estimates typically behave in this logistics category?
- Initial figures face regular revisions as late survey returns from freight operators are processed, requiring caution with month-on-month changes.
- Does this metric indicate the volume of cargo handled by shipping firms?
- No, it measures the proportion of transport enterprises participating in physical export activity rather than cargo tonnage or financial revenues.