Scotland’s International Goods Trade: Quarter 1 2023
This report contains Scotland's trade in goods data from the latest release of HMRC's Regional Trade Statistics (RTS).
Compared to the previous year, the value of Scotland’s goods exports to non-EU countries increased by 18.6% (up £2.3 billion) to £14.9 billion in the year ending March 2023. UK goods exports to non-EU countries increased by 14.4% over this period and Scotland experienced the second highest percentage increase of all the UK nations, behind Wales.
When oil and gas are excluded, Scotland experienced an increase of almost a quarter (up 24.7%, £2.9 billion) in goods exports to non-EU countries during this period, which was the second highest percentage increase of all UK nations behind Wales.
Over the longer term, Scotland’s proportional increase in exports, excluding oil and gas, was the largest of all UK nations in percentage terms, with a rise of 21.3% in the year ending March 2023 compared with the year ending March 2020.
Table 5. The value of goods exports to non-EU countries by UK nation, £ billions, year ending (YE) March (Q1) 2020 to year ending March 2023
|
UK Nation |
YE Q1 2020 |
YE Q1 2021 |
YE Q1 2022 |
YE Q1 2023 |
YE Q1 2020 v YE Q1 2023 (%) |
YE Q1 2022 v YE Q1 2023 (%) |
|
Scotland |
16.4 |
12.4 |
12.6 |
14.9 |
-9.1% |
18.6% |
|
Scotland exc. Oil & Gas |
12.0 |
10.9 |
11.7 |
14.6 |
21.3% |
24.7% |
|
England |
122.5 |
107.9 |
116.6 |
137.7 |
12.4% |
18.1% |
|
Wales |
6.9 |
5.2 |
6.8 |
8.9 |
30.1% |
30.9% |
|
Northern Ireland |
3.7 |
2.8 |
3.0 |
3.4 |
-6.9% |
13.9% |
|
United Kingdom |
169.8 |
146.4 |
159.0 |
181.9 |
7.1% |
14.4% |
|
UK exc. Oil & Gas |
161.1 |
141.4 |
150.7 |
173.5 |
7.7% |
15.1% |
Source: HMRC RTS, Q1 2023
The increase in the value of Scotland’s exports to non-EU destinations in the year ending March 2023 compared to the previous year, was driven largely by a 36.3% increase in the value of Scotland’s exports of beverages (up £1.1 billion) and power generating machinery (up 43.2%, £665 million). Together, exports of beverages and power generating machinery accounted for 42.0% of Scotland’s total goods exports to non-EU countries.
Figure 7. Over the latest year, Scotland experienced a larger percentage increase in the value of goods exports to non-EU countries than the UK as a whole
Percentage change in goods exports to non-EU countries by UK nation and UK overall, year ending March 2023 compared with the previous year
Source: HMRC RTS, Q1 2023
Figure 8. The value of Scotland’s goods exports to non-EU countries has decreased since Q3 2022.
Value of Scotland’s goods exports to non-EU countries (quarterly), 2019 Q1 to 2023 Q1
Source: HMRC RTS, Q1 2023
Figure 9. Scotland’s goods exports to non-EU countries were dominated by exports of drinks, which accounted for over a quarter of Scotland’s goods exports to non-EU countries
Scotland's top ten exported products to non-EU countries, year ending March 2023
Source: HMRC RTS, Q1 2023
Table 6. The value of Scotland’s top ten exported goods to non-EU countries, £ billions, year ending (YE) March (Q1) 2020 to year ending March 2023
|
Product |
YE Q1 2020 |
YE Q1 2021 |
YE Q1 2022 |
YE Q1 2023 |
YE Q1 2020 v YE Q1 2023 (%) |
YE Q1 2022 v YE Q1 2023 (%) |
|
Beverages |
3.0 |
2.4 |
3.0 |
4.1 |
35.7% |
36.3% |
|
Power generating machinery |
2.1 |
1.4 |
1.5 |
2.2 |
4.3% |
43.2% |
|
General industrial machinery |
0.9 |
0.8 |
0.9 |
1.0 |
7.9% |
3.5% |
|
Professional & scientific instruments |
0.6 |
0.5 |
0.6 |
0.7 |
9.2% |
6.3% |
|
Non-ferrous metals |
0.5 |
0.7 |
0.7 |
0.6 |
33.4% |
-6.9% |
|
Chemical materials & products |
0.3 |
0.4 |
0.6 |
0.6 |
62.2% |
-3.9% |
|
Other transport equipment |
0.5 |
1.0 |
0.4 |
0.5 |
5.8% |
39.1% |
|
Medicinal & pharmaceutical products |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.5 |
45.8% |
44.6% |
|
Electrical machinery & appliances |
0.4 |
0.3 |
0.4 |
0.5 |
7.4% |
21.8% |
|
Manufactures of metal |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.4 |
16.8% |
17.9% |
Source: HMRC RTS, Q1 2023
In the year ending March 2023 compared to the previous year, there were increases in the value of almost all of Scotland’s top ten commodities exported to non-EU countries. Of the top ten exports, only non-ferrous metals (down £47 million, 6.9%) and chemical materials and products (down £22 million, 3.9%) saw a drop in export value, . The largest value decrease over this period was in exports of oil, which decreased by £539 million (63.5%).
Over the longer term, there was strong growth in the value of exports of all of the top ten commodities in the year ending March 2023 compared with the year ending March 2020; most notably beverages (up £1.1 billion, 35.7%), chemical materials and products (up £212 million, 62.2%) and non-ferrous metals (up £158 million, 33.4%) to non-EU destinations. There was a large decrease in exports of oil (down £4.0 billion, 92.9%) to non-EU countries over this period.
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