British shoppers and restaurants could see the price of some seafood products fall, with the country’s Department for Business & Trade confirming that negotiations are restarting on the UK’s trade deal with Greenland.
Seafood products became subject to tariffs of up to 20% when the UK left the European Union, increasing costs and restricting choice for British shoppers and supply chains. But a new agreement could reverse this by eliminating tariffs to benefit consumers and businesses including the likes of Grimsby Fish Market and Royal Greenland UK.
Giving British businesses greater and more targeted access to global markets to help drive growth is a key part of the UK’s trade strategy, the department said in a statement.
“Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark are central partners in the Arctic and North Atlantic, regions of strategic importance to UK and NATO security and prosperity. Deepening long-term relationships will support our shared economic interests, demonstrate Britain’s commitment to the Arctic and secure strong foundations as part of the Plan for Change.”
The announcement follows UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer attending the European Political Community summit in Copenhagen with Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen of Greenland and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark.
Trade Secretary Peter Kyle said: “This partnership represents an opportunity to restore our trading relationship with Greenland and deliver real benefits for British families and businesses. By eliminating tariffs on Greenlandic seafood, we can help to bring down prices on supermarket shelves whilst supporting thousands of jobs in our fish-packing industry, putting more money in people’s pockets as part of our Plan for Change.”
Andrew Wrigley, Country Director at Royal Greenland UK, said: “We welcome the renewed negotiations on a trade agreement between Greenland and the United Kingdom. A modernised deal that reduces tariffs on seafood would strengthen our long-standing commercial ties and ensure continued access to high-quality, sustainably sourced seafood for our British consumers.
“For Royal Greenland, it represents not only an economic opportunity but also a reaffirmation of our role as a reliable trading partner in the North Atlantic. We see this as a step towards deeper cooperation built on shared interests and mutual respect.”
Martyn Boyers, Chief Executive of Grimsby Fish Market and Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises, confirmed that Greenland plays an important role in the seafood industry and noted that historically there have been strong partnerships with the UK, creating trade and opportunities for both sides.
“Creating a platform for talks to restart and further cooperation can only be a good thing, especially for Grimsby, where a lot of the product imported from Greenland – particularly frozen prawns and white fish – is brought for packing by local seafood businesses,” he said.
Greenland remains a key exporter of seafood to the UK, with the UK importing around GBP 70 million seafood products from Greenland each year, primarily prawns, shrimp and cod.
The deal could also support the UK’s seafood processing industry, which employed almost 16,000 people in 2024.
Beyond seafood, the UK will seek a deal that strengthens supply chains that could offer opportunities in critical minerals, where UK firms currently hold a third of mining licences in Greenland.
This deal would represent Greenland’s first bilateral free trade agreement.
