Scotland’s International Goods Trade: Quarter 3 2022

This report contains trade in goods data from the latest release of HMRC's Regional Trade Statistics (RTS).


Despite a decrease of £260 million (down 5.9%) in the first nine months of 2022 compared to the equivalent period in 2019, the Netherlands remained the top destination for Scotland’s exports, with £4.2 billion of goods exported to the Netherlands during this period. Exports to the Netherlands accounted for 16% of Scotland’s total goods exports during this period.

Ireland was Scotland’s second largest export destination. The value of exports to Ireland experienced strong growth in the first nine months of 2022 (up £2.0 billion, 217.1%) compared to the first nine months of 2019. This increase was driven by a rise in the value of gas exports to Ireland, which grew by more than sevenfold (up £2.1 billion, 756.8%). Much of the increase in the value of gas exports to Ireland was likely due to a rise in the price of gas, since net mass of gas exports only increased by 44.7%.

There was also a large increase in the value of goods exports to France (up £618 million, 46.6%) and a large proportional increase in exports to Sweden (up £370 million, 136.9%) during this period.

Of all Scotland’s export destinations, China saw the largest decrease in export value, dropping by £3.0 billion (down 82.6%). There were also large decreases in the value of goods exports to USA (down £210 million, 6.9%), and Germany (down £725 million, 27.5%). For all of these countries the decrease was driven by drops in the value of oil exports.

Figure 10. Despite a decrease, the Netherlands remained Scotland’s top destination for goods exports
Value of goods exports to top ten export destination countries and percentage change, Q1 + Q2 + Q3 2022 compared with Q1 + Q2 + Q3 2019

Bar chart showing Scottish goods exports by destination country, the Netherlands (16% of total), Ireland (11% of total) and the USA (11% of total) make up the top three destinations

Source: HMRC RTS, Q3 2022

Table 7. The value of goods exports excluding oil and gas to the top ten export destination countries in the first nine months (Q1 + Q2 + Q3) of 2019-2022

Country (ATN priority ranking)

2019 

2020 

2021 

2022 

2019 v 2022 change (%) 

2020 v 2022 change (%) 

2021 v 2022 change (%) 

United States

 2,551

 2,041

 2,258

 2,726

6.9

33.6

20.7

France

 1,161

 999

 1,237

 1,505

29.7

50.7

21.7

Netherlands

 637

 573

 961

 1,148

80.2

100.3

19.4

Germany

 1,015

 849

 916

 1,060

4.4

24.8

15.7

India

 293

 200

 286

 612

108.9

206.3

114.1

China

 489

 407

 561

 597

22.2

46.6

6.4

Norway

 508

 1,151

 615

 555

9.4

-51.8

-9.8

Ireland

 586

 527

 486

 497

-15.1

-5.6

2.3

Italy

 434

 351

 474

 462

6.5

31.6

-2.5

Spain

 437

 676

 370

 454

3.9

-32.9

22.8

Source: HMRC RTS, 2022 Q3

Figure 11. When oil and gas are excluded, USA was the top export destination for goods exports
Value of goods exports to top ten export destination countries and percentage change excluding oil and gas, Q1 + Q2 + Q3 2022 compared with Q1 + Q2 + Q3 2019

Bar chart showing Scotland's top export destination countries excluding oil and gas, France is now in second place (9% of total) followed by the Netherlands (7% of total)

Source: HMRC RTS, Q3 2022

When oil and gas are excluded from the total goods exports, USA emerges as the top export destination for goods exports in the first nine months of 2022. There was an increase in the value of goods exports to the USA (up £175 million, 6.9%) to £2.7 billion in the first nine months of 2022 compared to the first nine months of 2019, excluding oil and gas. There was also growth in the value of goods exports to the Netherlands (up £511 million, 80.2%), France (up £345 million, 29.7%) and India (up £319 million, 108.9%) excluding oil and gas during this period. During this period, India has risen to be Scotland’s fifth top export destination for goods other than oil and gas, due mostly to increases in exports of non-ferrous metals and beverages.

On the other hand, there were decreases in the value of goods exports to Russia (down £109 million, 70.9%), Ireland (down £88 million, 15.1%) and Hong Kong (down £52 million, 17.4%)  excluding oil and gas during this period.

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