Regional Analysis - Export Markets

Regional analysis of performance of UK food and non-alcoholic exports across EU and non-EU regions.

In this section:

EU

UK food and non-alcoholic drink exports to the EU in 2012 fell by 1.4%.

The export of a number of key commodities to the EU performed poorly including meat (-8.1%), dairy (-9.7%) and fish/seafood (-10.7%) collectively contributing to falls amounting to £300m against 2011.

The stronger pound, higher UK meat, fish and dairy prices and weaker industrial and consumer confidence throughout the EU are likely to be the main drivers for the decline in commodity exports.

In contrast value added foods performed relatively well growing overall by 1.6%. Soups (+24.2%), sausages (+22.2%), yoghurt (+19.8%), chocolate (+15.8%), bread (+14.7%), coffee (+10.4%) and cakes (+8.4%) were amongst some of the categories seeing double digit growth to the EU. Collectively the growth of these products resulted in gains of £100m on 2011.

Exports to the Eurozone were down 1.5% almost in line with all EU markets.

UK Exports of Food & Non-alcoholic drinks to the EU:
Jan-Dec 2011-2012 (£ million)
  Country 2011 2012 % change
  TOTAL EU 9,347 9,215 -1.4
1 (-) Ireland 2,932 2,983 1.7
2 (-) France 1,444 1,326 -8.2
3 (-) Netherlands 1,172 1,198 2.2
4 (-) Germany 1,037 1,117 7.7
5 (-) Belgium 569 555 -2.4
6 (-) Spain 558 517 -7.5
7 (-) Italy 431 373 -13.5
8 (-) Denmark 221 204 -7.5
9 (+1) Sweden 170 198 16.5
10 (-1) Poland 203 183 -9.8
11 (-) Portugal 131 105 -19.7
12 (+2) Czech Republic 72 77 6.2
13 (-1) Finland 79 73 -7.0
14 (-1) Greece 77 54 -30.5
15 (+1) Austria 44 50 12.6
16 (-1) Cyprus 54 49 -8.5
17 (-) Malta 40 40 -0.8
18 (-) Hungary 36 34 -6.5
19 (-1) Romania 17 14 -16.2
20 (+3) Bulgaria 9 14 52.6
21 (-) Latvia 11 11 0.3
22 (+2) Estonia 8 10 38.1
23 (-3) Slovakia 13 10 -23.0
24 (-2) Lithuania 10 9 -11.9
25 (-) Slovenia 5 7 47.6
26 (-) Luxembourg 5 5 -5.8

Source: HMRC Trade Info

Note: Eurozone members marked as bold.

Changes in ranking positions are versus 2011.

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Non-EU

Exports to non-EU markets continued to perform strongly, growing 4.6% overall. Only exports to Other Western Europe (-9.9%) and Eastern Europe were in decline as negative GDP growth in the EU impacted on trade and the economic performance of the countries that surround it. The most growth was seen in:

  • Africa: +15.5%, including strong growth to the top three markets Egypt up 11.7% (mostly due to a doubling of potato exports), South Africa up 21.9% (+32% meat, +101% chocolate, +77% soft drinks) and Nigeria up 16% (due to a surge in demand for frozen fish +140%).
  • Middle East: +15.4%, driven by over 30% growth to both the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
  • Oceania: +10.4% due to double digit growth in Australia.
UK Exports of Food and Non-alcoholic drinks to the Non-EU
Jan-Dec 2011-2012
Country 2011 2012 % change 2011-2012
North America 642 649 1.0
United States 491 492 0.1
Canada 149 156 4.3
Asia 606 626 3.3
Hong Kong 128 135 4.9
China 99 110 11.0
Japan 86 96 12.0
Singapore 45 34 -23.8
Korea South 38 43 12.1
Thailand 34 41 22.0
Malaysia 28 29 6.5
Vietnam 24 26 9.8
India 20 19 -5.3
Africa 414 478 15.5
Egypt 85 95 11.7
South Africa 74 91 21.9
Nigeria 74 85 16.0
Algeria 38 39 1.8
Middle East 383 442 15.4
United Arab Emirates 123 153 24.9
Saudi Arabia 87 118 35.2
Israel 46 40 -13.1
Kuwait 28 29 3.0
Other Western Europe 370 334 -9.9
Norway 177 149 -16.0
Switzerland 92 88 -3.7
Turkey 41 33 -19.8
Eastern Europe 142 136 -4.5
Russia 105 92 -12.6
Ukraine 20 30 51.4
Oceania 120 133 10.4
Australia 101 114 12.6
New Zealand 17 18 0.7
Latin America & the Caribbean 110 120 8.5
Brazil 21 21 1.7
Chile 9 7 -17.4
Mexico 8 10 16.3

Source: HMRC Trade Info

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More information

Download the full UK Food and Drink Export Performance statistics research report - (Full year 2012) - pdf | 3.8MB


Last reviewed: 15 Mar 2013