Statement from Logistics UK re ONS figures on UK trade in February 2021

Speaking about the figures published by the ONS today (13 April 2021) for February 2021, Alex Veitch, Logistics UK’s General Manager of Public Policy, said:

“Logistics UK is encouraged to see that the ONS figures show an improvement to the volume of goods moved between the UK and EU. We expect this trend will continue as many of the factors which may have caused friction to trade in recent months, including COVID-19 restrictions, stockpiling, and challenges with the implementation of new post-Brexit trade processes, continue to dissipate. Now, Logistics UK is urging government and industry to ensure the entire supply chain is ready for the introduction of further EU-UK border controls from 1 January 2022 to keep trade moving as smoothly as possible in the coming months and years.”

Logistics UK is one of the UK’s leading business groups, representing logistics businesses which are vital to keeping the UK trading, and more than seven million people directly employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. With COVID-19, Brexit, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc. Logistics UK supports, shapes and stands up for safe and efficient logistics, and is the only business group which represents the whole industry, with members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers whose businesses depend on the efficient movement of goods.