UK Government Unveils Trade Show Programme to Support Business

This Tuesday, the UK Government has unveiled first details of a new‘ Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ plan, designed to help businesses across the UK double exports and sell their products around the globe.

The 12-point export strategy, published on 17 November by the Department for International Trade (DIT), includes the launch of a new UK Trade Show Programme better-tailored to help businesses, particularly those outside London and the South East, to attend and promote their products around the world, as well as an Export Support Service that offers a one-stop shop for exporting advice.

The DIT will also be expanding its Export Academy – launched in October – to roll it out across all of the UK including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The academy will invite owners and managers of SMEs to access masterclasses, roundtables and networking events that help them overcome common challenges first-time exporters face.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the UK exported £2bn in exhibition services annually, making it a top 10 British export.

The UK exported £600bn in goods and services in total in 2020.

A DIT statement said that “unlocking the UK’s exporting potential will help level up the country and boost the UK’s economy, with government-commissioned research estimating that exports supported 6.5m jobs across the UK in 2016 and showing that exporters pay higher wages.” Separate analysis shows that goods exporting businesses are on average 21% more productive.

International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan has called on businesses to ‘Race to a Trillion’ by seizing huge untapped opportunities on offer in the world’s fast-growing markets.

Minister Trevelyan MP said the announcement was a “defining moment in the our national trading story.”

She added: “Our export strategy will help more businesses start exporting and help those who already export to sell more products to more countries. Reaching £1trillion worth of exports by the end of this decade means more jobs, more opportunities and higher wages helping the UK to level up and build back better.”

This week, the DIT is running the inaugural International Trade Week, featuring a series of over 100 events and workshops across the country hosted by expert trade advisers aimed to help businesses to take advantage of the export support available to them.

Minister for exports Mike Freer MP said: “We know businesses are at different points on their exporting journey. Some are already successful exporters but want to sell more products or reach new markets. Others are yet to take the leap and export for the first time.

Whatever your story, our tailored support, expertise and international network is here and ready to help you maximise your ambitions and sell to the world.

“The strategy – titled ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ – will see government work hand-in-hand with business to help them to succeed in the global marketplace through a first-class export support framework.”