The UK food and drink industry

The food and drink industry is the single largest manufacturing sector in the UK, with a turnover of £66 billion. Food and drink manufacturers employ over half a million people. Food retailing and wholesale employs nearly 900,000 people.

People must eat and each year over 70 billion items of food are produced in the UK. There are 6,700 food and drink enterprises in the country. The industry buys two-thirds of all UK’s agricultural produce.

Food and drink companies make, move, sell and serve food and drink to people in a range of settings: at home; at work; at school; in cafés, bars and restaurants; and even on the move. The changing lifestyles have affected the consumption of food. Working late, playing hard, and living well has influenced what people want and the way they want: they are increasingly demanding quality, originality and 24-hour access to conveniences.

Frozen and prepared chilled foods, other convenience foods, yogurts, dairy deserts and instant snacks have formed the fastest-growing sector of the food market in recent years. Demand for healthy and slimming foods also continues to expand and there has been a rise in sales of organically-grown produce as well as a variety of products for vegetarians.

In recent years the application of economic, environmental and consumer pressures has greatly influenced the agriculture and food industry in the UK. As the result, UK agro-food production and processing technologies are among the most advanced in the world. Both developed markets such as the EU, Canada and the US and developing markets such as China are showing interest in products from the UK. The beverage sector (principally Scotch whisky but also other spirits, beers and non alcoholic drinks) represents over 20% of exports but there is encouraging growth in food products with cereals, bakery products, confectionary, meat, fish and other food products.

In the UK food industry is big business. It is a complex industry with world class organisations set alongside individual farmers and growers. There are a range of pressures at work on the sector, and to survive all businesses in the food production chain have to respond to what consumers care about and want. Now more than ever before, quality, safety, nutrition, animal welfare and environment are all factors which influence consumer decisions. That’s why the industry is faced with a constant need to adapt to these changing circumstances, while at the same time maintaining profitability.

7.Answer the questions.

1.What is the turnover of the UK food and drink industry?

2.How many people are employed in this industry?

3.How many food enterprises are there in the UK?

4.What do consumers demand from food producers?

5.What products form the fastest-growing sector of the food market in the UK?

6.What countries are interested in importing products from the UK?

7.What products are exported?

8.What is it necessary for food manufacturers to do in order to survive?

8.Read the information below and characterise the European food industry.

• The EU is the world largest food and food processing producer.
• Annual turnover of €799 billion.
• 2.5 million people are employed in the EU food industry.
• The industry is made up of about 280,000 companies.
• The EU is leading in exports of food products.
• The United States is the number one customer for EU food and drink industry.

9.Read and translate the article.