The UK scotch whisky industry contributes almost £5bn to the economy and supports more than 40,000 jobs, research commissioned by the body that represents its members has revealed.
The Scotch Whisky Association has also claimed that that the sector is larger than the meat, dairy, beer and soft drinks industries. Each job within the sector supports on average a further 2.7 British jobs, while the industry generates an extra £500,000 across the UK for every £1m of value added, it said.
“Despite a slowdown in exports, the Scotch Whisky industry is expanding at unprecedented levels with around 30 new distilleries being planned or built across Scotland. Capital investment reached £142m in 2013, up 31% since 2008,” the association added.
“In Scotland, it makes up almost three quarters of the food and drink sector and is three times the size of Scotland’s digital or life sciences industries.”
David Frost, chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, said: “This new report shows just how significant the Scotch whisky industry is to the wider UK economy, adding £5bn of value, supporting over 40,000 jobs, and contributing £4bn to Britain’s trade performance. Scotch whisky must be recognised as a cultural asset that boosts growth and jobs, supports communities and combines the best of the traditional and the modern.
“Given the scale and impact of the Scotch whisky industry we believe the government should show its support. One way of doing so, in the short term, would be for the chancellor to cut excise duty by 2% in the March budget. It is unfair on the industry and consumers, and detrimental to the economy, that almost 80% of the average price of a bottle of Scotch is taxation.”
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