The UK Spirits Industry leads the world Gin and vodka account for nearly 35% of the World's spirits sales by volume. Eight of the world's top twenty spirit brands in 1998 are gin or vodka. Vodka is the fastest growing category of major spirit drink in UK. Exports of UK produced gin and vodka currently earn more than £175 million a year. Compare this with £115m for 1990. 70% of UK produced gin goes abroad, and somewhat less of our vodka. Our products go to over 180 countries. The UK Chancellor takes over £660 million a year in Excise and VAT from gin and vodka. The gin and vodka industry is a major employer with a workforce of 2000 employed directly and 8000 indirectly. Our distilleries and bottling plants stretch across the UK from Plymouth to Invergordon. The spirits industry as a whole generates employment - direct and indirect - for over half a million people - and the alcoholic drinks industry as a whole accounts for nearly a million jobs. In 1998, 45% of UK gin and vodka was produced in Scotland - by end of 2000, this figure will have increased to approximately 75%.

	Gin Production Click on image to see a more detailed version. (7.62k)		Vodka Production Click on image to see a more detailed version. (6.61k)
	Gin Sales Click on image to see a more detailed version. (5.31k)		Vodka Sales Click on image to see a more detailed version. (6.0k)