1. Survey information

These questions are for Wave 107 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 15 April 2024.

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2. Trading Status of Your Business

Which of the following statements best describes your business’s trading status?

  • Currently fully trading

  • Currently partially trading

  • Paused trading but intends to restart in the next two weeks

  • Paused trading and does not intend to restart in the next two weeks

  • Permanently ceased trading

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3. Exporting

Has your business exported goods or services in the last 12 months?

  • Exported goods only

  • Exported services only

  • Exported both goods and services

  • Business has not exported goods or services in the last 12 months

  • Not sure

Where has your business exported goods or services to in the last three months?

  • EU only

  • Non-EU only

  • Both EU and non-EU

  • Not exported in the last three months

  • Not sure

Has your business had any extra costs directly related to changes in export regulations due to the end of the EU transition period?

  • Costs increased but are now stable

  • Costs increased and are still increasing

  • Costs were stable but are now increasing

  • No cost increases experienced at any point

  • Not sure

How did your business's exporting in March 2024 compare with this calendar month last year?

  • Exported more

  • Exporting stayed the same

  • Exported less

  • Business was unable to export

  • Not sure

How did your business's cost of exporting in March 2024 compare with this calendar month last year?

  • Cost increased

  • Cost stayed the same

  • Cost decreased

  • Not sure

How did the time spent on exporting in March 2024 compare with this calendar month last year?

  • Time spent increased

  • Time spent stayed the same

  • Time spent decreased

  • Not sure

Which of the following support options has your business benefitted from, to help with exporting challenges?

  • Customs and tariffs

  • Export licences

  • Financial support

  • Finding new markets

  • Finding new overseas contacts or customers

  • Information on exporting

  • Legal support

  • Transport and distribution

  • Understanding markets and demand issues

  • Other (Please describe)

  • None of the above

Does your business currently meet the rules of origin to access preferential tariffs on exports?

  • All exports meet the rules of origin to access preferential tariffs

  • Some exports meet the rules of origin to access preferential tariffs

  • Exports do not meet the rules of origin to access preferential tariffs

  • Not sure

  • Not applicable

Why does your business not currently meet the rules of origin to access preferential tariffs on exports?

  • Exports cannot meet rules of origin requirements

  • Administrative costs of rules of origin are too high or burdensome

  • Lack of knowledge

  • Lack of understanding, staffing or expertise

  • Other (Please describe)

  • Not sure

  • Not applicable

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4. Importing

Has your business imported goods or services in the last 12 months?

  • Imported goods only

  • Imported services only

  • Imported both goods and services

  • Business has not imported goods or services in the last 12 months

  • Not sure

Where has your business imported goods or services from in the last three months?

  • EU only

  • Non-EU only

  • Both EU and non-EU

  • Not imported in the last three months

  • Not sure

Has your business had any extra costs directly related to changes in import regulations due to the end of the EU transition period?

  • Costs increased but are now stable

  • Costs increased and are still increasing

  • Costs were stable but are now increasing

  • No cost increases experienced at any point

  • Not sure

How did your business's importing in March 2024 compare with this calendar month last year?

  • Imported more

  • Importing stayed the same

  • Imported less

  • Business was unable to import

  • Not sure

How did your business's cost of importing in March 2024 compare with this calendar month last year?

  • Cost increased

  • Cost stayed the same

  • Cost decreased

  • Not sure

How did the time spent on importing in March 2024 compare with this calendar month last year?

  • Time spent increased

  • Time spent stayed the same

  • Time spent decreased

  • Not sure

Which of the following support options would your business benefit from, to help with importing challenges?

  • Customs and tariffs

  • Finding new alternative supply chains

  • Finding new overseas contacts or customers

  • Import licences

  • Information on importing

  • Legal support

  • Transport and distribution

  • Understanding markets and demand issues

  • Other (Please describe)

  • None of the above

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5. UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) marking

Does your business manufacture, import or distribute products that require either a CE marking or a UKCA marking?

  • Yes, we manufacture products that need a CE or UKCA marking

  • Yes, we import products that need a CE or UKCA marking

  • Yes, we distribute products that need a CE or UKCA marking

  • Not sure

  • No, we do not manufacture, import or distribute products that need a CE or UKCA marking

To what extent is your business currently using UKCA marking for its products that require either a CE or a UKCA marking?

  • Not using UKCA marking

  • Using UKCA marking for a minority of products

  • Using UKCA marking for a majority of products, but not all

  • Using UKCA marking for all products

  • Not sure

To what extent is your business planning to use UKCA marking in April 2025 for its products that require either a CE or a UKCA marking?

  • Do not plan to use UKCA marking in this calendar month next year

  • Plan to use UKCA marking for a minority of products in this calendar month next year

  • Plan to use UKCA marking for a majority of products, but not all, in this calendar month next year

  • Plan to use UKCA marking for all products in this calendar month next year

  • Not sure

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6. Domestic trade

In the last 12 months, has your business purchased goods or services from suppliers in other UK nations?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Not sure

In the last 12 months, which of the following goods or services has your business purchased from suppliers in other UK nations?

  • Casual labour

  • Financial services

  • Finished goods

  • Professional services

  • Semi-finished or intermediate goods

  • Raw materials

  • Other (Please describe)

  • Not sure

In the last 12 months, has your business sold goods or services to customers in other UK nations?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Not sure

In the last 12 months, which of the following challenges, if any, has your business experienced when selling goods or services to customers in other UK nations?

  • Challenges related to the Northern Ireland Protocol

  • Differences in rules or regulations

  • Lack of demand

  • Supply chain disruption

  • Transport capacity

  • Transport costs

  • Other (Please describe)

  • Not sure

  • Business did not experience any challenges

Has your business sent goods from GB to Northern Ireland in the last 12 months?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Not sure

In March 2024, how did the volume of goods your business sent from GB to Northern Ireland compare with the previous calendar month?

  • Volume increased

  • Volume stayed the same

  • Volume decreased

  • Stopped sending goods to Northern Ireland

  • Not sure

  • Not applicable

Please give more details about why the volume of goods sent from GB to Northern Ireland changed in March 2024

  • Comments

Has your business sent goods from Northern Ireland to GB in the last 12 months?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Not sure

In March 2024, how did the volume of goods your business sent from Northern Ireland to GB compare with the previous calendar month?

  • Volume increased

  • Volume stayed the same

  • Volume decreased

  • Stopped sending goods to GB

  • Not sure

  • Not applicable

Please give more details about why the volume of goods sent from Northern Ireland to GB changed in March 2024

  • Comments
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7. International trade

Was your business able to get the materials, goods or services it needed from the EU in March 2024?

  • Yes, the business was able to get the materials, goods or services it needed

  • Yes, but the business had to change suppliers or find alternative solutions

  • No, the business was not able to get the materials, goods or services needed

  • Not applicable

Does your business intend to open any new branches or subsidiaries in the EU in the next 12 months?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Not sure

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8. Comments

Please tell us anything else about your business's current situation relating to topics covered in this survey

  • Comments
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Contact details for this Article

Business Insights and Conditions Survey team (BICS)
bics@ons.gov.uk
Telephone: +44 1633 456417