Table of contents
- Introduction
- Beer is the largest beverage manufactured across the EU
- Soft drinks, beer and whisky are the largest beverages manufactured in the UK
- The UK records the largest sales of soft drinks in the EU
- UK manufacturers' sales of beer is the second-largest in the EU
- The UK comprises 81% of the total EU production of whisky
- The UK comprises 72% of the total EU production of gin
1. Introduction
Beer, soft drinks, and whisky have the highest sales within the UK manufacture of beverages in 2017, recent data shows.
Annual statistics on the value and volume of products manufactured are collected annually in the EU. This article uses data collected by EU member states as part of the 2017 UK manufacturers' sales by product (Prodcom) survey along with the revised UK Prodcom estimates.
This article gives an overview of the manufacture of beverages in EU, and then focuses on soft drinks, beer, whisky, and gin manufactured in the UK.
Back to table of contents2. Beer is the largest beverage manufactured across the EU
The beverages with the largest manufacturers sales in the EU in 2017 were beer (£27.6 billion), soft drinks (£19.3 billion), and wine (£17.8 billion).
Figure 1: Manufacturers’ largest beverages sales in the EU, 2017
Source: Eurostat
Notes:
- Wine is comprised of quality wine with a protected designation of origin (PDO) of an alcoholic strength of ≤ 15 % (excluding white wine and sparkling wine) (£9.2 billion), Wine of an alcoholic strength ≤ 15 % (excluding sparkling wine and wine (PDO)) (£4.7 billion), and white wine with a protected designation of origin (£3.8 billion).
Download this chart Figure 1: Manufacturers’ largest beverages sales in the EU, 2017
Image .csv .xlsThere are 19 European countries that record beer as their largest beverage manufactured, while the UK and Scandinavia record soft drinks as their largest beverage manufactured.
Figure 2: Largest product sold in the manufacturing of beverages per country in Europe, 2017
Source: Eurostat
Download this image Figure 2: Largest product sold in the manufacturing of beverages per country in Europe, 2017
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3. Soft drinks, beer and whisky are the largest beverages manufactured in the UK
These products accounted for 80% of the total UK production of beverages, in 2017.
Figure 3: Share of beverages sold in the UK, 2017
Source: Office for National Statistics
Download this chart Figure 3: Share of beverages sold in the UK, 2017
Image .csv .xls4. The UK records the largest sales of soft drinks in the EU
The UK was the largest producer of soft drinks in the EU in 2017 with £3.8 billion, followed by Austria and Germany at £3.3 billion and £3.1 billion respectively.
Figure 4: Manufacturers’ sales of soft drinks in the EU, 2017
Source: Eurostat
Download this chart Figure 4: Manufacturers’ sales of soft drinks in the EU, 2017
Image .csv .xls5. UK manufacturers' sales of beer is the second-largest in the EU
The three largest producers of beer are Germany, UK, and Spain, which combined produce 42% of the total EU beer production. In the UK, beer has increased by £0.5 billion (15%) from £3.2 billion in 2016 to £3.7 billion in 2017.
Figure 5: Manufacturers’ sales of beer in the EU, 2017
Source: Eurostat
Download this chart Figure 5: Manufacturers’ sales of beer in the EU, 2017
Image .csv .xls6. The UK comprises 81% of the total EU production of whisky
EU production of whisky is dominated by the UK at £3.4 billion, comprising 81% of the total production, with Spain being second largest at only £74 million.
Figure 6: Manufacturers’ sales of whisky in the EU, 2017
Source: Eurostat
Download this chart Figure 6: Manufacturers’ sales of whisky in the EU, 2017
Image .csv .xls7. The UK comprises 72% of the total EU production of gin
UK manufacturers sales of gin have increased 267% since 2009 from £130 million to £461 million. UK sales represent 72% of the total EU production in 2017, followed by Spain at 11% (£71 million).
Figure 7: Manufacturers’ sales of gin in the EU, 2017
Source: Eurostat
Download this chart Figure 7: Manufacturers’ sales of gin in the EU, 2017
Image .csv .xls
Figure 8: UK manufacturers’ sales of gin, 2008 to 2017
Source: Office for National Statistics
Download this chart Figure 8: UK manufacturers’ sales of gin, 2008 to 2017
Image .csv .xlsPlease note
Eurostat data were converted from euros at the rate of €1 = £0.87667
Eurostat data might be suppressed for individual countries due to confidentiality. For example, data for Ireland is suppressed for whisky but is included in the ‘other EU countries’ total.