The UK's Food and Drink Federation (FDF) reports that branded food and non-alcoholic drink exports grew by almost 1% last year to record a 15th consecutive year of growth. Exports of vegetables – both prepared and fresh – experienced the largest increase in overall growth, up £18m last year to reach £36.3m
Overall exports fell by £0.6bn to £12.3bn as a result of a drop in oil prices and the strength of the pound against the depreciated Euro, which has made British exports less competitive in key Eurozone markets, it said.
Markets outside of the European Union (EU) now account for more than 30% of the UK’s total branded food and non-alcoholic drinks exports, while the value of non-EU markets was up 6.4%. Double-digit growth was experienced across exports to Saudi Arabia, Japan and Australia.
Exports to China grew by 9% – the first time that the country has featured in the UK’s ten largest export markets – driven by growth of processed milk exports, which experienced growth of more than 200% – or £19.3m – in 2015.
But exports of branded food and soft drinks to the EU as a whole fell by 1.3%, the figures revealed. The decline is particularly pertinent as British voters are set to go to the polls this summer on whether to remain part of the EU in a nationwide referendum.
Thailand showed the biggest growth of all export markets, importing an extra £59.3m’s worth of British food and non-alcoholic drink – an increase of more than 120%.
