United Kingdom Lime Market Analysis
The United Kingdom Lime Market size is estimated at USD 2.26 billion in 2025, and is expected to reach USD 2.58 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 2.70% during the forecast period (2025-2030).
Lime is a citrus fruit with a sour taste, used in both culinary and non-culinary applications. Fresh limes undergo processing at their origin or are sold as whole fruit to consumers and food service businesses for beverages and food preparation. In the United Kingdom, limes serve as flavor enhancers in meals and have gained popularity in tropical drinks and cocktails. As consumer familiarity with limes increases, the European market for fresh limes continues to expand. The United Kingdom experiences peak lime demand during the summer months. The market growth is driven by increasing demand for lime-based beverages, rising product applications, and growing consumer awareness of lime's benefits in cleaning and personal care products.
Lemons are valued for their versatility, with all parts of the fruit being utilized. The juice is commonly used in beverages, while the zest and peel serve as garnishes and ingredients in marmalades and desserts. The industrial processing of lemons spans both food and non-food applications, including cleaning products, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Key processed products include concentrated juice, pulp, essential oil, pectin, citric acid, limonene, and dehydrated peel. The United Kingdom relies heavily on imports due to unfavorable growing conditions such as high rainfall, strong winds, and insufficient sunshine. According to ITC Trade Map data, the United Kingdom's lemon imports increased from 146,663 metric tons in 2022 to 148,700 metric tons in 2023.
Lime consumption in the United Kingdom has shown steady growth, leading to increased interest in greenhouse cultivation to overcome unfavorable climate conditions. However, domestic production remains insufficient to meet consumption demands. Supermarkets and online grocery retailers dominate the UK fresh lime market, sourcing directly from wholesalers or importers to supply consumers. The market experiences price fluctuations due to changes in the pound's value against other currencies, which affects import costs and product prices. The combination of increasing consumption and market dynamics indicates significant growth potential for the United Kingdom lime market.
United Kingdom Lime Market Trends
Rising Domestic Consumption Drives the Market
United Kingdom's lime market is categorized into fresh fruit market and processed fruit market. The fresh fruit segment encompasses limes utilized for juicing and culinary applications in residential and commercial food establishments. The processed fruit segment involves the extraction of essential oils, flavoring compounds, and medicinal substances from lime fruit and peels.
Lemons and limes are primarily cultivated for fresh market consumption, with their juice serving as a flavoring agent in beverages. The Persian Lime dominates fresh market production due to its seedless characteristics. The increasing westernization of economies has led to hotel industry growth, resulting in higher lemon consumption for water and cocktail preparation. The United States Department of Agriculture reports that fresh domestic lime consumption in the United Kingdom rose from 137 thousand metric tons in 2022 to 144 thousand metric tons in 2023.
Consumer demand for organic produce, including limes, continues to increase. Retailers and importers are adapting their product portfolios to accommodate the growing organic lime segment. This market trajectory indicates further product specialization in the coming years. Furthermore, technological advancements in compound extraction and utilization from limes are propelling growth in the processed lime market. Research conducted in 2022 identified that limonene, a terpene extracted from lime peel, serves as a component in bio-based plastics manufacturing, enhancing environmental sustainability and circular economy practices. Laboratory studies have also documented that specific lime compounds exhibit anti-cancer properties, demonstrating the ability to inhibit tumor growth and cell proliferation.
Understand The Key Trends Shaping This Market
Download PDF
Import Dominates the Market
The United Kingdom represents one of Europe's principal markets for limes. The nation imports directly from producing countries, and imports from non-European nations may increase following Brexit. Due to the disparity between consumption and domestic availability, the United Kingdom depends on neighboring producers for lime supply. According to the ITC Trade Map, in 2023, the United Kingdom imported 148,700 metric tons of lime, valued at USD 179,741 thousand. The majority of these lemons were consumed domestically. Spain maintained market dominance in 2023, representing 46.9% of imports by value. In 2023, a shipment of 5,000 Assam lemons (kaji nemu) and 500 kg of lablab beans (urohi) was exported to London, England. The lemons were shipped as part of an export agreement by the producer at ₹30 per kg (USD 0.35), scheduled for delivery over two months from Gati, Salbari.
Trade agreements govern lemon imports into the United Kingdom. The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement establishes trade protocols between the UK and EU member states, specifically Spain and Italy. The UK-South Africa Economic Partnership Agreement regulates lemon imports from South Africa. Similarly, the UK-Turkey Free Trade Agreement establishes import parameters for lemons from Turkey. These agreements minimize tariffs and trade barriers, optimizing the cost-effectiveness of lemon imports from these source countries.
The United Kingdom's exit from the European Union (Brexit) may increase non-European imports. As the UK no longer benefits from EU trade agreements, it may seek more suppliers from non-European countries. However, the depreciation of the British pound may affect import prices. The devaluation of the British pound affects price levels, as exporters operating in USD face higher costs when the pound's value decreases. Trade policies and tariffs in the export process also influence domestic prices. The UK government has implemented initiatives to facilitate lime imports by offering incentives to importers who demonstrate fair trade practices and commitment. The government also provides market access support through information on procedures, import requirements, customs regulations, and market trends.
Get Analysis on Important Geographic Markets
Download PDF
United Kingdom Lime Market News
- September 2024: OGGS, a vegan brand specializing in baking goods and sweet treats, introduced its Cruelty-Free Lemon Loaf Cake in Tesco stores across the United Kingdom. The product features a lemon-flavored sponge with icing, lemon drizzle, and crunchy lemon pieces.
- February 2023: LEMONPURE, Turmeric and Lemon Cleansing Milk developed by Lotus Herbals is a beauty product with lemon and turmeric ingredients. It helps to fight acne, blemishes, and dark patches on the skin.
- February 2022: A nanodrug, Heparin-cRGD-EVs-Doxorubicin (HRED) with extracellular vessels extracted from lemons works with the principle of biomimetic drug delivery system that is used in cancer treatment proving multidrug resistance for cancer with high drug delivery efficiency into the tumor cells.
United Kingdom Lime Industry Segmentation
Lemon/Lime is an acidic fruit belonging to the Rutaceae family. It is a pale yellow oblong berry produced from a small tree or spreading bush thorny plant. The United Kingdom lime market includes Production Analysis (Volume), Consumption Analysis (Value and Volume), Import Analysis (Value and Volume), Export Analysis (Value and Volume), and Price Trend Analysis. The report offers the market size and forecasts regarding value (USD) and volume (Metric Tons) for all the above segments.
| Geography | United Kingdom | Production Analysis (Volume) |
| Consumption Analysis (Volume and Value) | ||
| Import Analysis (Volume and Value) | ||
| Export Analysis (Volume and Value) | ||
| Price Trend Analysis |
Geography
| United Kingdom | Production Analysis (Volume) |
| Consumption Analysis (Volume and Value) | |
| Import Analysis (Volume and Value) | |
| Export Analysis (Volume and Value) | |
| Price Trend Analysis |
Need A Different Region or Segment?
Customize Now
United Kingdom Lime Market Research FAQs
How big is the United Kingdom Lime Market?
The United Kingdom Lime Market size is expected to reach USD 2.26 billion in 2025 and grow at a CAGR of 2.70% to reach USD 2.58 billion by 2030.
What is the current United Kingdom Lime Market size?
In 2025, the United Kingdom Lime Market size is expected to reach USD 2.26 billion.
What years does this United Kingdom Lime Market cover, and what was the market size in 2024?
In 2024, the United Kingdom Lime Market size was estimated at USD 2.20 billion. The report covers the United Kingdom Lime Market historical market size for years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The report also forecasts the United Kingdom Lime Market size for years: 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030.
Our Best Selling Reports
United Kingdom Lime Industry Report
Statistics for the 2025 United Kingdom Lime market share, size and revenue growth rate, created by Mordor Intelligence™ Industry Reports. United Kingdom Lime analysis includes a market forecast outlook for 2025 to 2030 and historical overview. Get a sample of this industry analysis as a free report PDF download.
