Shut up about Barclay Perkins - UK exports to the European Union 1985 - 1994
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More lovely numbers. Dontcha just love them?
Probably not, if you're less of a weirdo than me. But what do I care? The whole point of this blog is saying all the things my family don't want to hear.
Though I have just been discussing UK beer exports with Alexei. Some of the weird ones from the 1970's and 1980's. Who would have guessed that the UK was exporting beer to Saudi Arabia? It's no surprise that exports to there dried up after 1979. But how on earth did 72 barrels head that way in 1982? I'd love to know the story behind that.
Anyway, getting back to the numbers that actually appear in the table, this set shows some fascinating trends. Like the slump in exports to Belgium. And the sudden boom in ones to France. I can't help thinking there must have been some specific reason for the sudden jump in 1994. It's almost a tenfold increase.
And why did UK exports to Europe more than double in 1994? Oh right. It's to do with the introduction if the Single Market in 1993:
"Following the Introduction of the Single Market in January 1993 the method of recording exports to the European Union changed and the figures separated by a bold line are not comparable with earlier years."
Which doesn't make me much wiser. Were they just recording exports better, or did something really change. Hang on. Wouldn't that be when the personal allowance went up from a couple of bottles to a vanload? Is all that UK beer being sent to France getting no further than Calais and then coming back again?
I know that the figures for Danish beer exports to Germany are distorted that way. That virtually none of the beer "exported" is consumed in Germany. It's bought by Danes who hop over the border to take advantage of the cheaper price of alcohol in Germany.
| UK exports to the European Union 1985 - 1994 (thousands of barrels) |
| Destination |
1985 |
1986 |
1987 |
1988 |
1989 |
1990 |
1991 |
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
| Belgium & Luxembourg |
136.6 |
96.8 |
107.5 |
94.7 |
64.6 |
62.0 |
44.4 |
46.8 |
37.1 |
52.2 |
| Cyprus |
2.5 |
1.2 |
2.4 |
2.0 |
3.8 |
2.7 |
2.7 |
4.6 |
3.1 |
3.7 |
| Denmark |
0.6 |
0.2 |
0.7 |
0.2 |
0.4 |
0.5 |
0.7 |
3.7 |
2.6 |
66.4 |
| France |
10.8 |
8.9 |
8.3 |
9.7 |
14.2 |
15.6 |
15.2 |
17.8 |
22.1 |
196.6 |
| Germany |
24.6 |
19.3 |
22.6 |
24.5 |
26.4 |
29.1 |
28.7 |
31.2 |
17.3 |
19.1 |
| Greece |
0.3 |
0.2 |
0.7 |
3.0 |
5.8 |
14.5 |
12.6 |
13.7 |
10.9 |
9 |
| Ireland |
71 |
108 |
141 |
175.1 |
189.3 |
234.3 |
295.6 |
369.8 |
246.7 |
387.8 |
| Italy |
51.5 |
54.3 |
50.2 |
43.8 |
40.6 |
47.2 |
56.3 |
79.0 |
85.1 |
144.7 |
| Netherlands |
10.9 |
10.8 |
11.9 |
26.4 |
28.1 |
42.2 |
70.0 |
37.5 |
10.4 |
30.6 |
| Portugal |
0.7 |
1.9 |
4.4 |
2.9 |
2.0 |
3.5 |
2.6 |
2.7 |
1.3 |
1.8 |
| Spain |
4.1 |
6.9 |
9.9 |
14.0 |
19.1 |
46.5 |
38.2 |
52.3 |
65.8 |
104.8 |
| Sweden |
2 |
2.3 |
2.5 |
2.9 |
5.0 |
6.8 |
19.2 |
23.1 |
19.8 |
26.5 |
| Total |
311 |
307 |
357 |
394.4 |
390.6 |
495.4 |
564.4 |
654.5 |
499.3 |
1,045.1 |
| Sources: |
| "Statistical Handbook 1988", page 9. |
| BBPA Statistical Handbook 1995, page 9. |
| BBPA Statistical Handbook 1999, page 9. |
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