Gordon Brown says Scotch whisky needs EU

Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has voiced his concerns over the risk of EU exit for the Scotch whisky industry. Writing in an opinion piece in the Daily Record, Gordon Brown reminds voters that sales of Scotch to the EU dwarf those to the US and other markets.

Writing in the Scottish daily newspaper, the former Prime Minister calls on voters to break the persistent domestic myth that Scotch is predominantly drunk at home, and in other traditional markets.

He says: “The idea that our whisky is drunk mostly in Scotland or China, America and Japan dies hard. However, it is a myth … we cannot forget it’s the exports of whisky to Europe that make the industry the size it is.”

Going into further detail, Brown writes: “The biggest market is the European Union and the biggest consumer of whisky in Europe is France. The French consume 183 million bottles a year and more Scotch whisky is sold in one month in France than Cognac sells in a whole year. Exports to France are worth nearly £500 million a year. Spain is the second biggest export market, consuming just under 60 million bottles and Germany is not far behind with imports of 50 million. Even Poland and Latvia purchase just under 20 million bottles each. And the Netherlands purchases around 20 million bottles. Latvia, Poland and the Netherlands all consume more than Japan.”

The former Prime Minister’s intervention comes in the same week as the Scotch Whisky Association said Europe was “central to the success of Scotch”, and the UK government said leaving the EU would be a “leap in the dark” for the industry.

SWA chief executive David Frost said: “EU membership has many advantages for Scotch. The single market, including its regulation of food and drink, and its single trade policy are central to the success of Scotch. It lets us trade across the EU simply and easily and helps give us fairer access to other overseas markets.”

In contrast, campaigners for leaving the EU argue that ending the UK’s membership of the EU will not affect future trade with other member nations.