August 2025 unit values for imports and exports fall sharply

In August 2025, unit values for imports fell 5.9% year‑on‑year and 13.8% month‑on‑month. Export unit values also declined, down 5.5% compared with August 2024 and 4.8% versus July 2025.

By broad use categories, year‑on‑year declines were widespread: consumer goods unit values dropped 6.1%, capital goods fell 23.6%, and intermediate goods declined 2.8%. Month‑on‑month comparisons showed larger short‑term falls for some groups: consumer goods were down about 16.2%, intermediate goods fell 9.6%, and capital goods declined 5.7%.

Under the Harmonized Classification of International Trade (CUCI), notable year‑on‑year movements included steep declines in oils, fats and waxes of animal or vegetable origin (‑31.1%) and in machinery and transport equipment (‑20.9%), while fuels, lubricants and related mineral products fell 11.9%. In contrast, unit values rose for foodstuffs and live animals (+5.9%), beverages and tobacco (+4.2%), and manufactured articles classified chiefly by raw material (+1.0%).

By geographic origin, import unit values decreased across most regions. Goods from Spain fell 2.5% year‑on‑year and those from France declined 1.2%. Imports from the “Rest of the EU + Great Britain” region dropped 17.8%, and goods from the rest of the world were down 9.6%. Compared with July, unit values of imports from the Rest of the EU + Great Britain fell sharply (‑25.4%), while imports from Spain declined around 7.4% month‑on‑month.

The Index of Unit Values for Foreign Trade (IVU) is compiled from customs records that register the value and weight of traded goods; unit value is calculated by dividing value by quantity. IVU figures are a useful approximation of traded prices but are not strict price indices, since changes can reflect shifts in prices, volumes or product specifications.