Scotland’s International Goods Trade: Quarter 4 2022
This report contains trade in goods data from the latest release of HMRC's Regional Trade Statistics (RTS).
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Compared to 2021, the value of Scotland’s international goods imports in 2022 increased by 46.8% (up £11.6 billion) to £36.5 billion. In comparison, the value of international goods imports to the UK increased by 37.1% over this period.
The increase in goods imports was driven largely by imports of gas, which doubled in value (up 100.3%, £5.4 billion) in 2022 compared to 2021. However, much of this increase is likely due to increases in gas prices since the volume of gas imports only increased by 5.6% over this period. Gas accounted for almost a third (29%) of the total value of Scotland’s imports in 2022. More than three quarters (81%) of the total value of Scotland’s gas imports came from Norway.
There were also large increases in the value of imports of power generating machinery (up £1.1 billion, 74.1%) and oil (up £1.0 billion, 118.4%).
Table 8. The value of Scotland’s international goods imports by UK nation, £ billions, 2019-2022
|
UK Nation |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2019 v 2022 change (%) |
2020 v 2022 change (%) |
2021 v 2022 change (%) |
|
Scotland |
23.7 |
20.0 |
24.9 |
36.5 |
54.1% |
82.5% |
46.8% |
|
Scotland (exc. Oil & Gas) |
20.8 |
18.4 |
18.6 |
23.8 |
14.3% |
29.5% |
28.0% |
|
England |
394.9 |
329.6 |
359.4 |
474.3 |
20.1% |
43.9% |
32.0% |
|
Wales |
18.2 |
14.3 |
16.1 |
24.1 |
32.2% |
69.0% |
49.3% |
|
Northern Ireland |
8.1 |
6.9 |
7.9 |
9.5 |
18.1% |
37.4% |
21.4% |
|
United Kingdom |
487.8 |
423.1 |
461.2 |
632.3 |
29.6% |
49.5% |
37.1% |
|
United Kingdom (exc. Oil & Gas) |
443.9 |
396.9 |
409.9 |
520.9 |
17.3% |
31.2% |
27.1% |
Source: HMRC RTS, Q4 2022
In 2022 compared with 2021, the value of Scotland’s goods imports from the EU increased by 52.3% (up £4.1 billion) to £11.8 billion. This was greater than the percentage change in the value of goods imports from the EU to the UK over this period (up 42.9%). Growth in the value of imports of power generating machinery (up £565 million, 188.4%), oil (up £379 million, 189.5%), and office machines (up £370 million, 41.4%) contributed to this increase.
Figure 12. The value of goods imports from non-EU countries has increased sharply since 2020
Value of Scotland’s goods imports from EU and non-EU countries (yearly), 2013 to 2022
Source: HMRC RTS, Q4 2022
Table 9. The value of Scotland’s top ten imported goods, £ millions, 2019-2022
|
Product |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2019 v 2022 change (%) |
2020 v 2022 change (%) |
2021 v 2022 change (%) |
|
Gas |
1,566 |
1,051 |
5,360 |
10,734 |
585.2% |
921.0% |
100.3% |
|
Power generating machinery |
2,181 |
1,550 |
1,543 |
2,685 |
23.1% |
73.2% |
74.1% |
|
Office machinery |
2,862 |
2,765 |
2,441 |
2,615 |
-8.6% |
-5.4% |
7.1% |
|
Oil |
1,280 |
559 |
883 |
1,929 |
50.7% |
245.1% |
118.4% |
|
General industrial machinery |
1,091 |
873 |
847 |
1,127 |
3.3% |
29.1% |
33.1% |
|
Electrical machinery & appliances |
911 |
731 |
763 |
1,098 |
20.6% |
50.3% |
43.9% |
|
Road vehicles |
455 |
341 |
542 |
1,060 |
132.8% |
210.4% |
95.5% |
|
Apparel & clothing |
990 |
749 |
710 |
1,040 |
5.1% |
39.0% |
46.6% |
|
Other transport equipment |
950 |
532 |
621 |
890 |
-6.3% |
67.2% |
43.3% |
|
Organic chemicals |
456 |
454 |
656 |
875 |
91.9% |
92.9% |
33.5% |
Source: HMRC RTS, Q4 2022
In 2022 compared with 2021, the value of Scotland’s goods imports from non-EU countries increased by almost half (up 44.3%, £7.6 billion) to £24.7 billion. This was a larger percentage increase than for the UK overall (up 32.0%) and was the second largest among the UK nations behind Wales. This growth was driven by imports of gas from non-EU countries, which increased in value by £5.4 billion (100.5%). This growth was likely due to increases in the price of gas, as the net mass of gas imported from non-EU countries increased only by 5.8% in 2022 compared with 2021.
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