Concerns over global conflict have surged among UK logistics firms, with new data showing a sharp rise in businesses worried about disruption to supply chains.
The latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) Business Insights survey found that 29.4% of transport and storage companies are now concerned about the impact of international conflict over the next 12 months.
The figure marks a steep increase from just 6.5% in December 2025, highlighting growing anxiety across the sector as geopolitical tensions intensify.
A further 15.2% of firms said they were concerned about shipping disruption, also up significantly from 5.4% four months earlier.
Industry analysts say the spike in concern follows escalating tensions in the Middle East, including recent conflict involving Iran, which has affected key global trade routes such as the Strait of Hormuz.
David Jinks, head of consumer research at Parcelhero, said the increase represents a dramatic shift in sentiment among businesses.
“This represents a huge escalation in the number of businesses expressing worry over these issues,” he said.
“That’s an unprecedented jump of 22.9 percentage points in the number of transport and storage firms concerned about international conflict in just four months.”
He added that disruption to supply chains is also becoming a growing concern, with a 9.8 percentage point increase in firms reporting anxiety over shipping issues.
The impact is being felt beyond the logistics sector, with manufacturers and retailers reporting even higher levels of concern.
According to the survey, 42.3% of manufacturers are worried about the effects of international conflict, alongside 39.4% of retailers.
Concerns about supply chain disruption are also elevated, affecting 28.7% of manufacturers and 31.8% of retailers.
These figures represent a sharp rise compared with December, when only 13.8% of manufacturers and 15.6% of retailers expressed concern about global conflict.
Jinks said the scale of the increase reflects how quickly uncertainty has spread across UK industries.
“A whopping 28.5 percentage point increase in the number of manufacturers concerned about international conflict highlights how worried British businesses have suddenly become,” he said.
While a ceasefire between the US and Iran has offered some short-term relief, businesses are likely to face ongoing disruption and higher costs in the months ahead.
The findings underline the vulnerability of global supply chains to geopolitical shocks, with implications for sectors reliant on international trade, including agriculture, manufacturing and retail.