Imports of Belgian soft floor coverings to the UK fell significantly again in April. This is according to recent figures from HMRC, processed by trade medium The Furnishing Report.
Although the first quarter of 2025 still ended with a surprising growth in total soft floor covering imports, mainly thanks to countries such as the Netherlands, China and Turkey, Belgium was already lagging sharply behind then with an 18 per cent drop.
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At the beginning of the second quarter, this trend seems to be continuing. Total UK imports of floor coverings (carpet, wood, vinyl and linoleum) fell slightly by 1 per cent to 127.9 million pounds in April. Within this category, carpet and rug imports shrank by 4.5 per cent to 74.5 million pounds. Here, Belgian imports showed a sharp decline of as much as 38 per cent.
In contrast, Turkey further strengthened its position as the main supplier of textile floor coverings. Imports from this country rose 11 per cent to 18.6 million pounds. UK vinyl imports also showed clear growth: plus 8.1 per cent to 37.9 million pounds, mainly thanks to a recovery in supplies from China after a weak 2024.
The overall flooring market in the UK thus remains buoyant, but demand for Belgian carpet seems to be on the defensive for now.
Source: Flooring Square