Scotland’s International Goods Trade: Quarter 4 2022
This report contains trade in goods data from the latest release of HMRC's Regional Trade Statistics (RTS).
Compared to 2021, the value of Scotland’s international goods imports in 2022 increased by 46.8% (up £11.6 billion) to £36.5 billion. In comparison, the value of international goods imports to the UK increased by 37.1% over this period.
The increase in goods imports was driven largely by imports of gas, which doubled in value (up 100.3%, £5.4 billion) in 2022 compared to 2021. However, much of this increase is likely due to increases in gas prices since the volume of gas imports only increased by 5.6% over this period. Gas accounted for almost a third (29%) of the total value of Scotland’s imports in 2022. More than three quarters (81%) of the total value of Scotland’s gas imports came from Norway.
There were also large increases in the value of imports of power generating machinery (up £1.1 billion, 74.1%) and oil (up £1.0 billion, 118.4%).
Table 8. The value of Scotland’s international goods imports by UK nation, £ billions, 2019-2022
|
UK Nation |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2019 v 2022 change (%) |
2020 v 2022 change (%) |
2021 v 2022 change (%) |
|
Scotland |
23.7 |
20.0 |
24.9 |
36.5 |
54.1% |
82.5% |
46.8% |
|
Scotland (exc. Oil & Gas) |
20.8 |
18.4 |
18.6 |
23.8 |
14.3% |
29.5% |
28.0% |
|
England |
394.9 |
329.6 |
359.4 |
474.3 |
20.1% |
43.9% |
32.0% |
|
Wales |
18.2 |
14.3 |
16.1 |
24.1 |
32.2% |
69.0% |
49.3% |
|
Northern Ireland |
8.1 |
6.9 |
7.9 |
9.5 |
18.1% |
37.4% |
21.4% |
|
United Kingdom |
487.8 |
423.1 |
461.2 |
632.3 |
29.6% |
49.5% |
37.1% |
|
United Kingdom (exc. Oil & Gas) |
443.9 |
396.9 |
409.9 |
520.9 |
17.3% |
31.2% |
27.1% |
Source: HMRC RTS, Q4 2022
In 2022 compared with 2021, the value of Scotland’s goods imports from the EU increased by 52.3% (up £4.1 billion) to £11.8 billion. This was greater than the percentage change in the value of goods imports from the EU to the UK over this period (up 42.9%). Growth in the value of imports of power generating machinery (up £565 million, 188.4%), oil (up £379 million, 189.5%), and office machines (up £370 million, 41.4%) contributed to this increase.
Figure 12. The value of goods imports from non-EU countries has increased sharply since 2020
Value of Scotland’s goods imports from EU and non-EU countries (yearly), 2013 to 2022
Source: HMRC RTS, Q4 2022
Table 9. The value of Scotland’s top ten imported goods, £ millions, 2019-2022
|
Product |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2019 v 2022 change (%) |
2020 v 2022 change (%) |
2021 v 2022 change (%) |
|
Gas |
1,566 |
1,051 |
5,360 |
10,734 |
585.2% |
921.0% |
100.3% |
|
Power generating machinery |
2,181 |
1,550 |
1,543 |
2,685 |
23.1% |
73.2% |
74.1% |
|
Office machinery |
2,862 |
2,765 |
2,441 |
2,615 |
-8.6% |
-5.4% |
7.1% |
|
Oil |
1,280 |
559 |
883 |
1,929 |
50.7% |
245.1% |
118.4% |
|
General industrial machinery |
1,091 |
873 |
847 |
1,127 |
3.3% |
29.1% |
33.1% |
|
Electrical machinery & appliances |
911 |
731 |
763 |
1,098 |
20.6% |
50.3% |
43.9% |
|
Road vehicles |
455 |
341 |
542 |
1,060 |
132.8% |
210.4% |
95.5% |
|
Apparel & clothing |
990 |
749 |
710 |
1,040 |
5.1% |
39.0% |
46.6% |
|
Other transport equipment |
950 |
532 |
621 |
890 |
-6.3% |
67.2% |
43.3% |
|
Organic chemicals |
456 |
454 |
656 |
875 |
91.9% |
92.9% |
33.5% |
Source: HMRC RTS, Q4 2022
In 2022 compared with 2021, the value of Scotland’s goods imports from non-EU countries increased by almost half (up 44.3%, £7.6 billion) to £24.7 billion. This was a larger percentage increase than for the UK overall (up 32.0%) and was the second largest among the UK nations behind Wales. This growth was driven by imports of gas from non-EU countries, which increased in value by £5.4 billion (100.5%). This growth was likely due to increases in the price of gas, as the net mass of gas imported from non-EU countries increased only by 5.8% in 2022 compared with 2021.
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