Since 2021, due to the impact of Brexit and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Vietnam's tuna exports to the UK are unstable and tend to decrease. The value of Vietnam's tuna exports to the UK in 2021 only reached nearly 9.3 million USD, down 23% compared to the same period in 2020.
Entering 2022, the dual impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, plus the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, has impacted the British economy. Inflation in the UK has risen to a 40-year high and is almost the highest in Europe.
According to the statistics of the UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS), the country’s CPI rose 10.1% from 9.9% in August 2022 due to soaring food prices. Figures for September 2022 are similar to those recorded in July 2022 and are the highest in 40 years, caused by soaring energy bills.
Vietnam's tuna exports to the UK are still difficult to recover
Prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages increased the most, up 14.5%, the biggest increase since April 1980. The British pound fell to 1.13 dollars per pound.
This has caused the food service industry in the UK to be severely affected, especially the fast food sector, by labor shortages and high commodity prices.
In the UK, tuna is used mainly in fast foods, like sandwiches, or in many meals while traveling. Currently, labor shortages have affected the UK foodservice industry and the labor-intensive fast-food sector such as sandwiches. Many factories had to cut down production. This has led to a decline in UK tuna imports.
UK tuna imports by the end of July 2022 have decreased by 5% in value compared to the same period in 2021. Vietnam is currently the 13th largest tuna supplier out of 27 tuna supplies to this market. In the current inflationary context, the UK tends to increase tuna imports from sources that are exempt from import taxes, from cheap and geographically advantageous tuna sources such as Ecuador, the Philippines, etc.
Regarding tariff advantages, the UKVFTA has a continuation mechanism from the EVFTA, which means that tariffs on fresh and frozen tuna products will be quickly eliminated. Tariffs on frozen tuna loins or fillets will be eliminated over a three-year period from 18% to 0%.
For processed tuna used for canned tuna – the base rate of 24% will be reduced over a 7-year schedule.
For canned and packaged tuna, the quota will be 11,500 tons per year which will be duty free. After that, the original tax rate of 20.5% will be applied, which will be reduced by 3.5% per year.
With this agreement, Vietnamese tuna products are also having an advantage in the UK market. However, with the current inflation and political instability, Vietnam's tuna exports to the UK are still difficult to recover.
Compiled by Thuy Linh
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of August 19, 2026, as part of the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026, the Hosted Buyer Program continued with the seminar “Vietnam Seafood Outlook 2026–2027: A Strategic Sourcing Destination,” followed by 1-to-1 B2B meetings between international buyers and Vietnamese seafood businesses.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of VIETFISH 2026 on August 19 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), U.S. Consul General Melissa Brown highlighted the important role of the exhibition in connecting Vietnam’s growing seafood industry with buyers, suppliers, and partners from the United States and around the world.
(vasep.com.vn) Tomorrow, August 19, 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026 will officially open at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Taking place over three days, from August 19–21, Vietfish 2026 promises to provide a dynamic platform for business networking, trend updates, product experiences and comprehensive cooperation across the domestic and international seafood community.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market continues to grow, creating significant opportunities for countries with strengths in aquaculture, processing, and exports. Against this backdrop, Vietnam’s tilapia industry is gradually developing toward higher quality, greater product diversification, and broader market reach. At Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), together with the VASEP Tilapia Producers and Exporters Club, will host a joint booth to promote the image and potential of Vietnamese tilapia to domestic and international buyers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports are heading towards $12 billion this year, potentially the highest level on record. Yet one of the country’s export strengths is facing a growing list of challenges.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The first six months of 2026 indicate that Vietnam’s tilapia industry is entering a new phase of development, with strong export growth but also greater demands for production scale, quality and international competitiveness.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition, will officially take place from 19–21 August 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City. As Vietnam’s largest annual seafood trade event, organized by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietfish 2026 will once again bring together leading seafood companies, industry experts, and international partners from across the global seafood value chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached USD 1.1 billion in July 2026, up 4.8% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulative exports in the first seven months of the year totaled nearly USD 6.86 billion, an increase of 11.5% year-on-year. Exceeding the USD 1 billion mark in July further reinforces the prospect that Vietnam’s seafood exports could surpass USD 12 billion in 2026. However, the July figures also send a clear signal that the most favorable growth period may have passed: overall export growth slowed to just 4.8%, pangasius exports fell 6.1%, tuna exports were virtually flat, while exports to the EU, South Korea, and the Middle East all recorded double-digit declines.
(vasep.com.vn) As part of the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (Vietfish 2026), the seminar "Global Seafood Market and the Future Workforce: Trends, Opportunities, and Sustainable Development Pathways for Vietnam's Seafood Industry" will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on August 19, 2026, at Convention Room B, Level 2, SECC, Ho Chi Minh City. This is the first of five specialized seminars at Vietfish 2026, focusing on key issues that are shaping the long-term development of Vietnam's seafood industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese seafood exports recorded impressive growth, generating nearly 6 billion USD in revenue during the first six months of the year, up 13% compared with the same period last year.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn
