Food and Drink: UK's Biggest Manufacturing Sector

by Ian Armitage - 07/07/2010

"Food and drink processing is the biggest UK manufacturing sector, a new report shows"

Food and drink processing is the biggest UK manufacturing sector, representing about 15 percent of manufacturing turnover, employment and gross value added, a new report by Cambridge University’s Institute for Manufacturing’s (IfM’s) Centre for Industry and Government has found.

The report, titled Value of food and drink manufacturing to the UK, was commissioned by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF).

As well as revealing that food and drink processing was the UK’s biggest UK manufacturing sector, the report said the food and drink processing sector had recovered from the recession faster than any manufacturing sector.

The IfM report also revealed that the average wage for workers in food and drink manufacturing is marginally higher than the average in general manufacturing – £466 a week.

Other findings were that UK food and drink manufacturers spent £1.13 billion on research and development in 2009 and produced 36 percent of EU “health” products.

It also discovered that, over the past decade, exports of both lightly and highly processed food products have risen by approximately 15 percent, showing a strong demand for UK products abroad.

However, there is a growing trade deficit for food and drink in the UK.

IfM said this impacts on the UK’s ability to increase its food independence and was “an ongoing concern in terms of the environmental impact of transporting food great distance.”

SOURCE: FDF

Edited by Chris Farnell

More Details: http://www.manufacturingdigital.com/sectors/food-drink/food-and-drink-uks-biggest-manufacturing-sector