SWA toasts record export figures

The booming Scotch whisky industry has issued exceptional export figures for 2007, with volume up 8% and value up by 14% to £2.8 billion. EU countries generating the strongest growth, up 27% to £1.1bn, with all other regions posting an increase except for Australasia, which declined 2%.

The strong performance indicates that the recent spate of investment in increasing production capacity has been shrewd. As Paul Walsh, SWA chairman, comments: “Announcements of new capital investment of £400m across the industry were a public vote of confidence in Scotch whisky’s prospects and are good news for the wider economy.”

Exports to North America increased 5.5% during the year, Asia was up 4.5% and Central & South America grew by 4%. “This record export performance – generating £90 every second for the UK balance of trade – underscores just how important Scotch whisky is to our economy. This is all the more impressive given the economic difficulties encountered in certain markets during the second half of 2007 and demonstrates that Scotch whisky’s international appeal can mitigate individual market or regional fluctuations.”

Ben Grant, 30/04/08