The United Kingdom exceeded the 30-ton mark of imported cannabis flower for the first time in 2025. New Freedom of Information data from the UK Home Office reveals a deeper shift than the raw volume increase alone. Canadian producers have been shipping directly to the UK since the beginning of the year, rather than routing their goods through Spain or Portugal for processing as they did previously. The old European processing hubs are losing market share, and the entire supply chain model for medicinal cannabis in Europe is shifting.
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30,062 Kilograms: a Record Year in UK Imports
Official Home Office data was obtained through a Freedom of Information request dated April 10, 2026, by Business of Cannabis and Prohibition Partners. The figures cover exclusively dried cannabis flower in the form of so-called „Unlicensed Specials“—the decentralized medicinal prescriptions in the UK. Extracts, pharmaceutical active ingredients, and imports from the Crown Dependencies are not included.
Total volume rose to 30,062 kilograms in 2025, more than double the previous year’s 14,992 kilograms. The year 2023 initially appears in statistics with a high figure of 26,973 kilograms, but this is distorted by two one-off Finnish deliveries of roughly 10,000 kilograms each. Excluding these outliers yields an adjusted figure of approximately 6,860 kilograms. This means the British medicinal cannabis market has approximately doubled for two consecutive years.
On a quarterly basis, the acceleration is even more pronounced. Imports rose from 5,285 kilograms in the first quarter to 11,810 kilograms in the fourth quarter of 2025, a 123 percent increase within a single year. If this trend continues, annual import volume for 2026 would reach approximately 47,000 kilograms.
Canada Bypasses Europe: Direct Shipments Instead of Spanish Detour
The truly remarkable change is hidden in the origin of the goods. Canadian producers delivered 17,067 kilograms directly to the UK for the first time in 2025—more than six times the 2,578 kilograms from the previous year. In the fourth quarter alone, 7,839 kilograms came directly from Canada to the island.
Spain was previously the most important processing country for Canadian cannabis in Europe. The data series now shows a sharp break. Spain delivered 1,591 kilograms in the first quarter of 2025, but only 161 kilograms in the fourth quarter. For all of 2025, Spain accounted for 3,417 kilograms of UK imports, representing 11.4 percent. Germany also lost market share: 1,963 kilograms from German processing were shipped in 2024, declining to 1,404 kilograms in 2025. Portugal, by contrast, expanded and supplied 3,971 kilograms. The Hanf-Magazin editorial team has already analyzed why Portugal is structurally losing its status as Europe’s cannabis processing hub.
Alex Khourdaji, lead analyst at Prohibition Partners, sums up the trend succinctly: „The growth underscores the dominance of Canadian medicinal cannabis supply, driven by overproduction, tight margins in the home market, and international expansion strategies of Canadian license holders.“ The data also suggests the market is shifting from fragmented, clinic-driven supply to larger wholesale procurement cycles.
New Source Countries: Switzerland, Czech Republic, Greece
A total of 14 source countries were represented in the UK import statistics in 2025, three more than the previous year. Switzerland shipped 354 kilograms for the first time, the Czech Republic 142 kilograms, and Greece 105 kilograms. Israel, previously represented only in trace volumes, increased to 186 kilograms. South Africa, a small supplier the previous year with 421 kilograms, already shipped 1,345 kilograms in 2025 and is now the most consistent growth supplier outside Canada and Portugal.
This diversification aligns with a thesis taking hold in the European industry: global cannabis trade is expanding while consolidating on the supplier side. Those who can produce to EU-GMP standards and deliver bulk quantities are winning. Those who served purely as processing intermediaries between producers and end customers are losing. This applies to the German supply chain as well, as our analysis on Canada’s 62 percent dominance in the German import market demonstrates.
What This Means for Germany
The structural shift in the UK market is interesting for the German market for several reasons. First, the supply chain model that functioned during the 2018 to 2024 phase is fragmenting. Back then, Canadian producers plus European processors—often in Portugal or Spain—dominated. Today, Canadian license holders are increasingly taking on the EU-GMP compliance profile themselves. This shifts margin distribution in favor of producers and puts pressure on European intermediaries.
Second, UK dynamics point to a lesson for Germany. Here too, cannabis imports declined slightly for the first time in two years in the first quarter of 2026, while competitive pressure from direct shipments is rising. A new market report by economist Beau Whitney identifies price compression as a typical maturity indicator and cites Germany as an example with „accelerated price pressure through import growth and regulatory shifts“.
Third, the diversification of source countries is also politically readable. When Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Greece appear for the first time as suppliers, it signals that intra-EU cannabis production is gaining importance. The role of individual channel islands like Jersey in the German import mix illustrates the same dynamic from another angle. For patients, this could mean a broader selection of varieties and more stable prices in the medium term.
An Early Indicator for Cannabis Europe 2026
The FOI data appears just days before the Cannabis Europa London industry conference on May 26 and 27, 2026. Prohibition Partners will present its full analysis there and provide a detailed report on British market dynamics. The Home Office notes that 2025 figures remain provisional until the annual INCB returns process is completed on June 30, 2026. A substantial correction is not currently expected, though minor adjustments are possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Canada suddenly shipping directly to the UK?
Canadian producers have invested significantly in their own EU-GMP certified facilities in recent years. This allows them to clear the regulatory hurdle for the British and European market themselves, rather than having their goods processed through third countries like Spain or Portugal. Additionally, overproduction and tight margins in the Canadian home market are intensifying export pressure.
Does the UK Have a Medicinal Cannabis Program Like Germany?
The UK legalized prescription-based medicinal cannabis use in 2018 but maintained a highly restrictive prescription regime within the NHS public health service. Most patients obtain medicinal cannabis privately through so-called specials prescriptions, which appear in the FOI data series as „Unlicensed Specials.“ Germany has maintained a significantly broader prescription regime since the Cannabis Act of 2024, with stronger anchoring in statutory health insurance.
What Role Does Portugal Play in the New Supply Chain Model?
Portugal continues to grow, albeit more slowly than Canada’s direct shipments. The Portuguese cannabis industry has invested in EU-GMP facilities and is positioning itself as a European producer of its own brands, not merely as a processor of Canadian goods. In the medium to long term, this could make Portugal less vulnerable to the bypass trend than Spain.
Does the UK Trend Affect German Import Prices?
Yes, indirectly. As Canada increasingly conducts direct shipments and pressures its production capacity onto the European market, bulk flower prices at EU-GMP standard decline. Germany is connected through the same supply networks, so price movements in the UK serve as an early indicator for German import developments.
Where Can One Find Reliable Data on Canadian Cannabis Market Dominance?
Prohibition Partners‘ latest analysis provides quarterly data on the British market. For Germany, the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) publishes its own import statistics. Additionally, Canadian authorities document export volumes from their license holders. Combining these sources allows for a relatively precise assessment of the international market situation.
Sollte Europa eigene Cannabis-Produktion statt Importe aus Kanada fördern?
Sources: Home Office UK (FOI data 10.04.2026 on medicinal cannabis imports), Business of Cannabis (reporting May 20, 2026), Prohibition Partners (analysis UK Medical Cannabis Market Update 2026), Global Cannabis Network Collective (market report Beau Whitney, May 19, 2026), Hanf-Magazin independent research.
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