Scottish Government

Key Findings

• The total nominal value of Scotland’s International Exports (excluding Oil and Gas) decreased in the last year, falling by £920 million (3.2%) from £28.4 billion in 2013 to £27.5 billion in 2014.
• Between 2010 and 2014 international exports increased by £4.0 billion (17.3%), increasing from £23.4 billion in 2010 to £27.5 billion in 2014.
• In the latest year exports have continued to increase in businesses classed in the service sector (up 0.6%) and the 'other' sector (up 16.2%). Manufacturing business exports, which account for more than half of all exports, declined in the last year by 8.7%. Note: the 'other' sector includes Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing, Mining and Quarrying, Utilities and Construction.
• In 2014, the largest exporting industry is manufacture of food products and beverages (£4.8 billion, 17.3% of all exports). The second largest industry is Legal, accounting, management, architecture, engineering, technical testing and analysis activities (£2.3 billion, 8.5% of all exports), followed by the manufacture of refined petroleum and chemical products (£2.1 billion, 7.8% of all exports), Mining and Quarrying (£1.9 billion, 6.9% of all exports) and Wholesale and retail trade (£1.8 billion, 6.5% of all exports).
• Together the top 5 industry sectors account for around 47 per cent of total international exports from Scotland.
• In 2014 (42%) of international exports were destined for countries within the European Union (estimated at £11.6 billion).  Within the EU, the Netherlands was the largest market, followed next by France and then Germany.

• The USA is Scotland’s top international export destination country (as in the last 13 years) with an estimated £4.0 billion exports in 2014, an increase of £54 million (1%) since 2013. Netherlands is Scotland’s second top export destination country with an estimated £1.9 billion exports in 2014, a decrease of £526 million (22%). France is Scotland’s third top export destination country with an estimated £1.9 billion exports in 2014, a decrease of £162 million (8%). The Netherlands and Belgium are consistently reported in Scotland’s top trading partners, however as these countries contain key ports many of these goods are for onward supply to other countries. Exports to Europe and key European port countries in the last year are affected by the fall in exports from the refined petroleum sector.

• The top five international export markets (USA, Netherlands, France, Germany, and Norway) accounted for £10.8 billion of international exports (39 per cent of all international exports) from Scotland.

• Exports to the rest of UK (from Scotland) in 2014 (excluding oil and gas) are provisionally estimated at £48.5 billion, an increase of £1.5 billion (3.2%) over the year. Service sector exports are of greater importance to the rest of UK than internationally. £27.0 billion (56%) of rest of UK exports are attributable to service sector companies compared with 38% (£10.5 billion) of international exports.

• Total international and rest of UK exports in 2014 (excluding oil and gas) are provisionally estimated at £76.0 billion an increase of £570 million (0.8%) from £75.4 billion in 2013.  Rest of UK exports account for 64% of all exports from Scotland (international and rUK combined).