Trade Deals and Discogs

Trade Deals and Discogs

A new development emerged just days after my deep dive into Trump’s vinyl tariffs article.

Two trade deals with the UK happened within a couple of days of each other.

On May 6th, 2025, the UK Prime Minister met with the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Damodardas Modi, and shook hands on a trade deal that could reshape the vinyl market. 

On May 8, 2025, USA President Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer shook hands on a trade deal that could reshape the vinyl market.

Watch the key moments:

First India:

Then the USA:

The Good News: UK Presses Get a Pass with the USA?

If these deals exempt UK vinyl (likely, given the "cultural goods" clause), records pressed at:

• Abbey Road Studios (London)

• The Vinyl Factory (Hayes)

• Curved Pressings (Kent)

Benefits:

• The UK-pressed records may dodge US tariffs if classified as "cultural goods

However:

• UK plants already operate at ~90% capacity (Music Week, 2024)

• Lead times may stretch from 6 months to 9+ months for new orders

Pro Tip for Sellers:

“Label your Discogs listings as ‘UK-Pressed – No Tariffs’, which could attract US buyers."

UK-India Deal: The Hidden Vinyl Factor?

New Possibilities:

• Cheaper production: India’s growing vinyl plants (e.g., Gramophone Records Chennai) could offer lower costs than EU presses.

• Skills exchange: Indian technicians on UK visas may help address labor shortages.

Potential Pitfalls:

• Quality concerns: The Music vinyl record community may still prefer EU/Japanese presses.

• Shipping delays: India-to-UK logistics may lack the efficiency of EU routes.

How it plays out for the vinyl seller or vinyl collector:

Pressing Region	US Tariff Status	UK Trade Status
UK	Likely exempt	N/A
India	+10% (no deal)	New partnership
EU	+10%	No deal
Japan	+10%	???No deal

How to carry on:

Strategies to use for the Vinyl Community

For Sellers:

Diversify sourcing: Mix UK presses (for US buyers) and Indian presses (for budget lines).

Transparency: Tag listings with:

“UK-Pressed – No US Tariffs”

“India-Pressed – Budget Option”

For Buyers:

Filter smarter: Use Discogs’ country search to compare prices.
Voice your concerns: Petition labels to maintain EU/JP quality standards.

The Bottom Line/Or at the End of the Day

US-UK deal: A partial win for UK presses, but capacity is tight.

UK-India deal: Could lower costs but risks a quality/trust trade-off.

GIVE US YOUR VIEWS:

Would you buy India-pressed vinyl to save 10%? 

Spot any UK/India presses in the wild? 

Click here  -   Contact us

Let's hope that the UK isn't involved in another close coming Trade deal.

I still need my time to get my head around these two. 

Please  CONTACT ME   here if you want to discuss anything mentioned in this article.

DJ Mistri and the Electric Soul Show © www.electricsoulshow.com

“This article provides general information, not legal/tax advice whatsoever. If you need advice on any tax regulations, please check and consult your local organizations and regulations".