More than half of UK exporters affected by Houthi disruption, survey shows

Stacks of containers at the UK's largest freight port, in Felixstowe, as cargo ships and tankers are being rerouted around the southern tip of Africa to avoid the Red Sea. Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images

More than half of UK retailers and exporters have been affected by the disruption to Red Sea trade from Houthi rebel attacks on cargo ships, research by a leading business lobby group suggests.

The price of shipping a container from Asia to Europe has gone up by as much as 300% for some businesses, while logistical delays have added up to three to four weeks to delivery times, according to the survey by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).