By Joshua Kirby

British manufacturers are bracing for a hit from potential U.S. import tariffs, according to a survey by a business lobby.

The British Chamber of Commerce said Tuesday that its survey of manufacturing firms showed nearly two thirds expect an impact from any tariffs applied to their exports to the U.S. A little under a third expect a significant impact, the BCC said.

"The situation in the U.S. with possible tariffs on imported goods is a concern," said one English manufacturer surveyed by the BCC.

U.S. President Trump has suggested the U.K. could avoid the heavy duties he has threatened to impose on goods from the EU, Mexico or Canada. The U.K. doesn't run a surplus in its goods trade with the U.S., unlike the other targets of Trump's threatened tariff policy. Still, the country would be hurt by any worsening in global trade, said William Bain, the BCC's head of trade policy.

"There is a risk that a global trade war will unfold," Bain said. "If that happens then international trade is likely to face strong headwinds, and those will have a significant impact on every nation that exports, affecting services intrinsic to facilitating international trade in goods too."

Write to Joshua Kirby at joshua.kirby@wsj.com; @joshualeokirby

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 11, 2025 17:30 ET (22:30 GMT)

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