Tuna Exports to the UK Recover in Early 2026
According to Vietnam Customs statistics, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the UK in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 3 million, up nearly 17% compared to the same period in 2025. Monthly export performance fluctuated, but the overall trend still pointed upward.
Vietnamese Tuna Moves Against the UK’s Import Trend
More notably, Vietnam’s growth came at a time when the UK’s overall tuna imports from global suppliers were declining. According to data from the International Trade Centre (ITC), in the first two months of 2026, the UK imported USD 82 million worth of tuna from the world, down 19% year-on-year.
Many major suppliers also saw exports to the UK decline, including Ecuador down 14%, Spain down 41%, Thailand down 27%, and the Philippines down 31%. In contrast, Vietnam’s exports surged by 166%, from USD 846,000 to USD 2.25 million. This indicates that Vietnamese tuna is outperforming the broader market trend and gaining a larger share within the UK’s import structure.
Competition in the UK Remains Intense
This export growth does not mean the UK market has become easier. The UK remains a highly competitive market. In the UK’s import structure for early 2026, Ecuador remained the largest supplier, followed by Mauritius, Ghana, Peru, Spain, and Thailand. These competitors have long-established positions, stable supply chains, and strong presence within the UK distribution system.
For Vietnam, the current growth is an encouraging signal, but turning it into sustained momentum will require more than just a few months of strong increases.
UK Tuna Demand Remains Fundamentally Strong
From a market perspective, tuna still holds a solid position in the UK. According to Seafish’s 2025 report, UK seafood imports increased in both volume and value, supported by supplies of tuna, Alaska pollock, and warm-water shrimp. Tuna was among the key product groups driving seafood import growth.
Moreover, consumer demand in the UK remains relatively stable for convenient seafood products. Tuna accounts for 69% of canned seafood choices among UK consumers. In 2024, tuna ranked third in UK seafood retail sales, after salmon and cod.
This is an important detail because it shows that the UK is not merely a short-term opportunity, but rather a market with well-established consumption demand for canned tuna, ready-to-eat products, sandwiches, and quick meals.
Tariff Advantages Open More Opportunities for Vietnamese Tuna
For Vietnamese exporters, opportunities also come from tariff advantages. The UK officially joined the CPTPP on December 15, 2024, and the agreement took effect between the UK and Vietnam from that date. Together with the UKVFTA, this provides Vietnamese products with improved market access advantages.
For canned and packaged tuna, the UKVFTA maintains a tariff-rate quota mechanism of 11,500 metric tons per year eligible for 0% duty. Beyond the quota, the base tariff rate of 20.5% will gradually decline according to the agreed roadmap.
However, tariff preferences do not automatically translate into orders. The UK market currently favors suppliers capable of ensuring stable deliveries, competitive pricing, and products aligned with convenient consumption trends. Ecuador remains very strong due to its large supply base, while Mauritius and Ghana continue to maintain high positions thanks to well-established supply chains.
Therefore, if Vietnamese companies want to gain additional market share, they will need not only to leverage the UKVFTA and CPTPP, but also to focus on the right segments: frozen tuna, tuna loins, canned tuna, and convenient processed products rather than spreading resources too broadly.
In the short term, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the UK are expected to maintain growth momentum, especially as the country continues expanding its market share while the UK’s overall tuna imports decline.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2026 marks a period of strong growth for Vietnam’s tilapia industry, but it is also a time when international export competition is becoming increasingly intense. Vietnam’s tilapia exports reached USD 99 million in 2025, up 140% compared to the previous year. In the first four months of 2026 alone, export value reached USD 49 million, a 151% increase year-on-year. As global demand for affordable whitefish continues to rise, Vietnam is emerging as a noteworthy competitor to traditional tilapia powerhouses such as China, Indonesia, Brazil, and Egypt.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With continued policy support, technological innovation and close coordination among authorities, businesses and farmers, Vietnam’s pangasius industry is expected to make a strong and sustainable breakthrough during the 2026–2030 period, reinforcing its position as the world’s leading exporter of the fish.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) During the first four months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to Asian markets showed varying trends across regions and countries. The Middle East recorded strong growth, with Saudi Arabia emerging as the largest Asian market for Vietnamese tilapia. ASEAN markets also expanded significantly, driven primarily by Malaysia. Meanwhile, Japan maintained solid growth, while exports to South Korea declined compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Shrimp and pangasius continued to lead growth, helping seafood exports reach $4.67 billion in the first five months of the year; however, differentiation among product groups and increasingly stringent requirements from importing markets are posing many challenges for the industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Every day, the seafood processing industry in Ca Mau generates large quantities of shrimp heads and shells during processing operations. In the past, these by-products were largely treated as waste, increasing production costs and posing potential environmental risks. However, thanks to advanced processing technologies, materials once considered waste are now being transformed into high-value products, creating a circular economy model within the seafood industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam Clean Seafood Corporation has invested in a 280-hectare super-intensive shrimp farming zone in Tran De Commune, Can Tho City, generating export value of approximately VND 3 billion per hectare per year—around 50 times higher than traditional agricultural production.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached USD 1.02 billion in May 2026, up 0.6% year-on-year. Cumulative exports in the first five months of 2026 totaled USD 4.67 billion, an increase of 11% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In a rapidly changing global seafood market, timely insights and reliable data are more critical than ever. The Report on Vietnam Seafood Exports in Q1/2026 provides a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in Vietnam’s seafood production, trade performance, and export trends, helping businesses navigate uncertainty and identify new growth opportunities.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) While many major markets continue to experience slow growth, Russia has emerged as a brighter destination for Vietnamese tuna exports in early 2026. Export turnover to this market increased by nearly 55% in the first four months of the year, indicating a clear improvement in demand. Nevertheless, Russia remains a market that should be viewed with both optimism and caution.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports have shown encouraging signs of recovery in 2026. In the first four months of the year, total export turnover reached USD 720 million, up 17% compared to the same period last year. This result reflects improving demand across many markets, as well as the efforts of Vietnamese pangasius enterprises to maintain production, secure orders, and adapt to changing market conditions.
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