Plan: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/food-and-drink-in-the-uk-investment-opportunities/food-and-drink-in-the-uk-investment-opportunities Food
Food and drink is the largest manufacturing sector in the UK with turnover of £76 billion. With over 8,000 companies in this industry and they employ approximately 400,000 people. With investment, it sees 10,000 new products being introduces being introduced to the market every year.
The market is continually changing, with consumers demands differing each year. Products become discontinued, as the retailers deal with the differing demand, therefore the 5 largest retailers place an average of 8,500 new products in their stores each year. Such as healthy eating, of which the government supports fully, so investment occurs in R&D to tackle the rising concern about obesity and diabetes.
The UK supply chain distributes over 6.3 billion cases of products each year. The UK’s wide distribution network means that delieveries can be madea and returned inside the UK within 24 hours.
The quality of food means that the government heavily invest in it so that that the UK keeps the title as producing the safest and most hygienic in the world. Yet this can only occur due to technology, as advanced diagnositics use the latest technology to monitor imported foods etc. By using technology it has allowed for the food sector to meet consumer needs and increased productivity. With many companies focusing on functional food development, with the market currently worth £1.2 billion in the UK.
The EU is the largest single market in the world, with a population of nearly 500 million. The UK food secotr is an important trading partner with Wurope, with two thirds of the UK’s estimated £7.5 billion food and drink exports