From the staggering £133.7 billion it pours into the national economy to the millions of jobs it sustains and the complex global trade it navigates, the UK food industry is a multifaceted titan that shapes our daily lives in profound ways.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the UK food and drink sector contributed £133.7 billion to the UK economy in Gross Value Added (GVA)
- The food manufacturing sector alone accounted for 16% of total UK manufacturing GVA in 2021, equivalent to £28.4 billion
- UK food and drink exports reached £23.2 billion in 2022, a 12% increase from 2021
- UK food manufacturing productivity grew by 1.2% in 2022 compared to 2021
- Annual UK wheat production reached 13.9 million tonnes in 2022/23 marketing year
- UK milk production totalled 14.1 billion litres in 2022, down 1.5% from 2021
- UK household consumption of food and non-alcoholic drinks averaged £4,128 per person in 2022
- 58% of UK adults consumed at least one portion of fruit or veg daily in 2022
- Average UK household spent £78 per week on groceries in 2023
- UK food manufacturing employed 468,000 people in 2022
- Food and drink sector total employment 3.9 million jobs in 2022
- 7% of total UK employment in food supply chain in 2021
- UK food and drink exports totalled £23.2 billion in 2022, up 11.8% YoY
- Food imports to UK valued at £59.5 billion in 2022
- EU remains top trading partner with 62% of UK food imports in 2022
The UK food industry is a massive economic contributor employing millions nationwide.
Consumption and Retail
- UK household consumption of food and non-alcoholic drinks averaged £4,128 per person in 2022
- 58% of UK adults consumed at least one portion of fruit or veg daily in 2022
- Average UK household spent £78 per week on groceries in 2023
- Online grocery sales share reached 12.5% of total in 2023
- UK per capita meat consumption 79.5 kg in 2022
- Dairy consumption per person 245 litres milk equivalent in 2022
- 25% increase in plant-based milk consumption since 2018, reaching 15% market share in 2022
- UK bread consumption 32 kg per person annually in 2022
- Soft drinks consumption 145 litres per capita in 2022
- Chocolate confectionery consumption 8.2 kg per person in 2022
- Ready meals purchased by 68% of UK households weekly in 2023
- Organic food sales per capita £50 in 2022
- Snacking occasions increased 10% to 2.5 per day per person in 2022
- Frozen food consumption up 8% to 33 kg per person in 2022
- Takeaway and delivery meals consumed 1.8 times per week on average in 2023
- UK alcohol consumption 9.7 litres pure alcohol per adult in 2022
- 42% of UK shoppers buy premium or speciality foods weekly in 2023
- Meal kit subscriptions held by 4% of households in 2023
- Health-focused food purchases rose 15% in 2022
- UK egg consumption 190 eggs per person annually in 2022
- Fish and seafood consumption 12.3 kg per capita in 2022
- Sugar consumption averaged 40g per day per adult in 2022
- 62% of consumers check nutrition labels regularly in 2023
- Convenience store grocery sales £52 billion in 2022
- Discount grocers market share 20.1% in 2023
Consumption and Retail Interpretation
The British diet is a fascinating tug-of-war between virtue and vice, where our sincere salad intentions are constantly being ambushed by a chocolate bar and a ready meal, all while we diligently read the label and debate a premium purchase on our way to get a takeaway.
Employment and Labour
- UK food manufacturing employed 468,000 people in 2022
- Food and drink sector total employment 3.9 million jobs in 2022
- 7% of total UK employment in food supply chain in 2021
- Average wage in UK food manufacturing £28,500 per year in 2022
- 25% of food manufacturing workforce aged over 50 in 2023
- Women comprise 42% of UK food manufacturing employees in 2022
- 15,000 vacancies in UK hospitality food sector in Q1 2023
- Apprenticeships in food manufacturing totalled 12,000 starts in 2022/23
- Labour turnover rate in food processing 18% in 2022
- 32% of food sector firms reported skills shortages in 2023
- Migrant workers 20% of UK meat processing workforce in 2022
- Food retail employment 2.1 million people in 2022
- Average hours worked in food manufacturing 39.2 per week in 2022
- 8% growth in food engineering roles demand 2022-2023
- UK food scientists and technologists numbered 25,000 in 2022
- Zero-hour contracts 5% in hospitality food service in 2023
- Training investment in food sector £1.2 billion annually in 2022
- Youth employment in food manufacturing 8% of workforce in 2022
- Diversity index in food sector improved to 0.65 in 2023
- 45,000 new jobs created in food supply chain post-COVID by 2022
- Union membership 18% in UK food manufacturing in 2022
- Remote work adoption 12% in food admin roles 2023
- Health and safety incidents 2.1 per 100 workers in food processing 2022
- Female managers 28% in food manufacturing 2023
- Gig economy workers 150,000 in food delivery 2023
- Upskilling programmes reached 200,000 workers in 2022
Employment and Labour Interpretation
The UK food industry is a vast, aging engine that keeps the nation fed, but it's sputtering with vacancies and skills gaps, desperately trying to season its future with apprenticeships and upskilling while grappling with turnover and an over-reliance on an increasingly thin gruel of willing workers.
Market Size and Economic Impact
- In 2022, the UK food and drink sector contributed £133.7 billion to the UK economy in Gross Value Added (GVA)
- The food manufacturing sector alone accounted for 16% of total UK manufacturing GVA in 2021, equivalent to £28.4 billion
- UK food and drink exports reached £23.2 billion in 2022, a 12% increase from 2021
- The retail value of the UK grocery market was £228 billion in the 52 weeks ending 25 June 2023
- Food and drink manufacturing turnover stood at £108 billion in 2022, supporting 468,000 jobs
- The UK hospitality sector, part of food industry, generated £93 billion in sales in 2022
- Packaged food market in UK valued at £65.2 billion in 2023, growing at 4.2% CAGR from 2018-2023
- UK soft drinks market revenue reached £13.8 billion in 2022
- The UK bakery products market size was £10.9 billion in 2022
- Dairy products sector turnover in UK was £14.2 billion in 2021
- UK meat and poultry processing industry generated £15.6 billion in 2022
- Fruit and vegetable processing market valued at £5.3 billion in 2022
- UK confectionery market size stood at £5.1 billion in 2023
- Alcoholic beverages sector contributed £14.5 billion to UK GVA in 2022
- UK ready meals market revenue was £3.9 billion in 2022
- Food service market in UK valued at £22.4 billion in 2023
- UK organic food market grew to £3.1 billion in 2022, up 5% from previous year
- Plant-based food market in UK reached £1.1 billion in sales in 2022
- UK snacking market valued at £12.7 billion in 2023
- Frozen food sector turnover £8.2 billion in 2022
- UK sauces and condiments market size £2.8 billion in 2022
- Health and wellness food market in UK £18.5 billion in 2023
- UK pet food market, linked to food industry supply, £3.2 billion in 2022
- Functional food and drinks market £4.1 billion in 2022
- UK meal kit delivery market revenue £1.2 billion in 2023
- Artisan food and drink sector contributed £3.9 billion in 2022
- UK food tech investment reached £1.5 billion in 2022
- Grocery e-commerce sales hit £17.8 billion in 2022
- UK food processing equipment market valued at £2.4 billion in 2023
- Overall UK agrifood GVA was £45.2 billion in 2021
Market Size and Economic Impact Interpretation
The UK food industry, from farm to fork and from gin to ginormous grocery bills, is a £133.7 billion behemoth that not only keeps the nation fed but also thoroughly pickled, snacked, and occasionally even healthy.
Production Statistics
- UK food manufacturing productivity grew by 1.2% in 2022 compared to 2021
- Annual UK wheat production reached 13.9 million tonnes in 2022/23 marketing year
- UK milk production totalled 14.1 billion litres in 2022, down 1.5% from 2021
- Pigmeat production in UK was 920,000 tonnes in 2022
- UK poultry meat production hit 2.1 million tonnes in 2022, up 2%
- Beef and veal production stood at 895,000 tonnes in 2022
- UK sheep meat production was 340,000 tonnes in 2022
- Total UK fresh vegetable production 3.7 million tonnes in 2022
- UK apple production reached 246,000 tonnes in 2022/23
- Cheese production in UK totalled 731,000 tonnes in 2022
- UK butter production was 522,000 tonnes in 2022
- Bakery output in UK produced 11 billion loaves in 2022
- UK beer production volume 4.3 billion litres in 2022
- Soft drinks production in UK 14.5 billion litres in 2022
- Confectionery production output 2.1 million tonnes in 2022
- UK ready-to-eat food production grew 3.5% to £4.2 billion value in 2022
- Fish processing production 200,000 tonnes in UK 2022
- Organic food production area in UK 3.2 million hectares in 2022
- Plant-based dairy alternatives production up 15% to 1.2 billion litres in 2022
- UK egg production 10.2 billion eggs in 2022
- Potato production in UK 5.4 million tonnes in 2022
- Rape seed oil production 1.1 million tonnes in 2022/23
- UK sugar beet production 8.2 million tonnes in 2022/23
- Wine production in England 2.7 million bottles in 2022 vintage
- Frozen food production volume 2.8 million tonnes in 2022
- Sauces and seasonings production £3.1 billion value in 2022
- UK ice cream production 0.45 million tonnes in 2022
- Cereal processing output 4.5 million tonnes in 2022
Production Statistics Interpretation
In 2022, the UK's fields, factories, and fridges laboured in a state of deliciously productive, if occasionally parched, harmony—proving the nation's appetite for growth is as robust as its output of wheat, while its taste for progress is now even being measured in oat milk and organic hectares.
Sustainability and Trade
- UK food and drink exports totalled £23.2 billion in 2022, up 11.8% YoY
- Food imports to UK valued at £59.5 billion in 2022
- EU remains top trading partner with 62% of UK food imports in 2022
- UK agri-food trade deficit £14.3 billion in 2022
- Whisky exports from UK £5.4 billion in 2022
- Cheese exports reached £781 million in 2022
- Meat exports totalled £4.8 billion in 2022
- 45% of UK food waste recycled or composted in 2022
- Food sector carbon footprint 20% of UK total emissions in 2021
- 75% of UK farms adopted sustainable practices by 2023
- Plastic packaging in food reduced by 12% since 2018 to 2.1 million tonnes in 2022
- Water usage in UK food manufacturing 1.2 billion litres per day in 2022
- 30% reduction target in food waste by 2030, current progress 18% from baseline
- Organic land area 4% of total UK farmland in 2022
- Renewable energy use in food factories 25% of total in 2023
- Fairtrade certified food sales £1.8 billion in UK 2022
- 92% of UK potatoes sustainably sourced in 2022
- Food miles for UK imports averaged 1,500 km in 2022
- Biodiversity net gain achieved on 15% of food production land by 2023
Sustainability and Trade Interpretation
While the UK is sipping record-breaking whisky exports, it’s also chewing through a massive £14.3 billion food trade deficit, proving that for every triumphant cheddar sold abroad, we’re still swallowing far more than we can sustainably produce at home.
Sources & References
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