SCOTCH WHISKY INDUSTRY RECORDS £5.4BN GLOBAL EXPORTS IN 2024 AMID ‘TURBULENT’ GLOBAL TRADING CONDITIONS

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has released global export figures that show the value of Scotch exports stood at £5.4bn in 2024. The equivalent of 1.4bn 70cl bottles of Scotch Whisky were exported last year, equating to 44 per second. 

The figures, released today, show a decrease of 3.7% on 2023 exports by value. The Scotch Whisky Association has called on the UK and Scottish Governments to provide more support for the industry as distillers warn that the combination of pressure on consumer spending, increased domestic tax and regulation, and turbulent global trade, may continue to impact exports into 2025. 

Exports by volume have increased by 3.9%, which the industry says reflects the changing trends in global consumer preferences and challenging trading environment.  

India has regained its position from France as the world’s number one Scotch Whisky export market by volume, with 192m bottles exported, while the United States retains its long-held position as the largest export market by value, worth £971m in 2024.  

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, annual exports of Scotch Whisky have fluctuated, as global markets went through lockdown, reopening and recovery phases. Taking 2019 as the pre-Covid baseline, exports of Scotch Whisky have increased by 10% in value, with a 7% increase in volume.  

However, the whisky industry has warned that global trading conditions remain turbulent at the beginning of 2025 and have called on the UK government to do what it can to mitigate growing domestic pressures on the industry. This includes reducing excise duty on the industry, with 70% of the average priced bottle now collected in tax, reconsider the financial impact of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and accelerate trade talks to reduce tariffs and market access barriers in key markets, like India.  

Commenting on the export figures, Mark Kent, Chief Executive of the Scotch Whisky Association said:  

“Despite the resilience of the Scotch Whisky industry, 2024 has been a challenging year.  

“At home, distillers are being stretched to breaking point, as consumers bear the brunt of a 14% increase on the tax on every bottle of Scotch Whisky in the last 18 months alone. The cumulative effect of inflationary impacts on input costs such as cereals, energy and shipping, and the increased tax and regulatory costs, including the substantial cost of EPR coming later this year, are being fed through to consumers when they are tightening their belts.   

 “Overseas, the tectonic plates of trade are shifting, and exports to traditionally strong markets in the EU and North America have become much more challenging. We continue to support UK Government to promote strong and open trade relations with key export markets around the world, and particularly to advance negotiations on FTA with India, and engage with the US Administration.  The United States remains a key market for Scotch, and where the industry contributes to the US economy through direct investment and jobs. 

“But support for the industry’s global success starts at home. For too long, the industry has been taken for granted, with the misguided and simplistic belief that decisions taken in Scotland and the wider UK won’t impact an industry which exports 90% of its product, supports a large local supply chain and plays a valuable part in attracting tourists to Scotland.  The Scotch Whisky industry is a proven driver of economic growth, jobs and investment, and needs an environment free from the shackles of excessive taxation, regulation and uncertain operating costs. The UK government must redouble its efforts to back Scotch producers to the hilt, as promised by the Prime Minister.” 

Mark Kent, Scotch Whisky Association Chief Executive

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NOTES TO EDITORS

For more information, please contact pressoffice@swa.org.uk

SUMMARY

• Scotch Whisky exports were valued at £5.4bn in 2024, with 1.4bn bottles exported, equating to 44 bottles per second. 

• The value of exports are down 3.7% on 2023, but up 10% on pre-pandemic levels (2019). By volume, exports are up 3.9% on 2023, and up 7% on 2019 figures. 

• Asia Pacific was the most valuable export region with exports worth £1.57bn, down by 12.4% on 2023, but up 26.9% on 2019. 

• The United States remains the industry's largest market by value.  

• India regained the position as the industry’s top market by volume, replacing France. 

TOP 10 MARKETS

The largest export destinations for Scotch Whisky (defined by value) in 2024 (vs 2023) were: 

USA: £971m -0.7% (£978m 2023)                  -9.1% on 2019 (£1.07bn) 

France: £ 419m –11.6% (£474m in 2023)                    -3.0% on 2019 (£432m) 

Singapore: £310m -17.9% (£378m in 2023)             +3.5% on 2019 (£300m) 

Taiwan: £298m -12.5% (£341m in 2023)                +45.1% on 2019 (£205m) 

India £248m +13.8% (£218m in 2023)                    +49.5% on 2019 (£166m) 

Spain: £196m +6.4% (£184m in 2023)                       +8.8% on 2019 (£180m) 

Japan: £182m +7.1% (£170m in 2023)                       +24.2% on 2019 (£147m) 

Türkiye: £178m +36.7% (£131m in 2023)                    +279.5% on 2019 (£47m) 

Germany: £169m -14.2% (£197m in 2023)                -8.3% on 2019 (£185m) 

China: £161m -31.5% (£235m in 2023)                       +81.4% on 2019 (£89m)  

 

The largest export destinations for Scotch Whisky (defined by volume, 70cl bottles equivalent) in 2024 were: 

India: 192m bottles +14.6% (167m bottles in 2023)              +46.6% on 2019 (131m bottles) 

France: 177m bottles +1.9% (174m bottles in 2023)           +2.3% on 2019 (173m bottles) 

USA: 132m bottles +3.7% (127m bottles in 2023)                 +3.7% on 2019 (127m bottles) 

Japan: 74m bottles +22.9 (60m bottles in 2023)                 +22.2% on 2019 (60m bottles) 

Spain: 59m bottles +1.9% (58m bottles in 2023)                  +3.7% on 2019 (57m bottles) 

Germany: 56m bottles –6.1% (59m bottles in 2023)           +12.6% on 2019 (50m bottles) 

Brazil: 52m bottles +22.8% (43m bottles in 2023)                  +22.1% on 2019 (43m bottles) 

Poland: 48m bottles +5.6% (45m bottles in 2023)                  +46.9% on 2019 (33m bottles) 

Türkiye: 47m bottles +14.0% (41m bottles in 2023)           +216.2% on 2019 (15m bottles) 

China: 30m bottles –1.7% (31m bottles in 2023)            +77.3 on 2019 (17m bottles) 

REGIONAL DATA & COMMENTARY

In 2024, Scotch Whisky exports by global region (defined by value) were:

• Asia Pacific: £1.6bn -12.4% vs 2023 (29.1% of global exports) 

As in 2023, Asia-Pacific continued as Scotch Whisky’s largest regional market by value in 2024, supported by value uplifts in India (13.8%) and Japan (7.1%) on 2023 figures. Driven by increases in Bulk Blended Malt and Bulk Single & Blended Grain whisky, the region saw overall value of exports decrease by 12.4% on 2023, while volume increased 6% to 419m 70cl bottles. 

India once again became the industry’s largest volume market – a position briefly taken from France in 2022. Exports to India increased in volume and value compared to 2023,  as UK-India FTA talks continued. The Scotch Whisky industry’s calls for the trade agreement have included a lowering of the 150% tariff on Scotch imports into India, which would lead to significant export growth to the market. 

• European Union: £1.5bn -5.4% vs 2023 (27.5% of global exports) 

The EU remains the largest regional export market by volume, with 488m bottles exported to the region in 2024, and second largest by value with exports worth £1.5bn. The region is home to multiple mature markets for Scotch, including France, Spain, and Germany, all of which are in the top 10 global markets by both volume and value. Exports to France, the second largest market globally by both value and volume, decreased in value (-11.6%), export volume increased slightly (1.9%) 

Overall demand in the EU has contracted slightly by volume (-1.3% vs 2023). In various EU markets there is evidence of downtrading with a decline in the value of exports (-5.4%), notable in premium segments (Single Malt and Blended Malt),  due to economic pressures, inflation and lower consumer purchasing power, but which is offset in part by growth in Bulk Single & Blended Grain and Bulk Blend. 

• North America: £1.2bn -3.0% vs 2023 (21.5% of global exports)  

The United States, which has long been Scotch Whisky’s biggest market by value, maintained its position despite economic headwinds. Export value held steady, while exports volume saw a slight uplift on 2023, to 132m bottles. Industry leaders note that these figures are reflective the challenging economic conditions in the market, with inflation leading to consumers reluctant to spend on non-essential items. A slight decline in the Single Malt category has been observed, as the industry continues to feel the impact of the 25% tariff imposed between October 2019 and March 2021, which resulted in £600 million in lost exports. 

2024 marked a halfway point for the five year suspension of tariffs on Single Malt Scotch Whisky set to end in 2026. The SWA continues to encourage the UK and US administrations to work together to resolve the underlying trade disputes and secure the long-term stability and growth of the Scotch Whisky industry in this global top market. 

Other markets in the North America region saw declines by value, with exports by volume to Canada remaining flat and declining in Mexico.  

• Central and South America: £500m +22.4% vs 2023 (9.3% of global exports) 

Latin America and the Caribbean saw significant growth when compared to other global markets, with an increase on 2023 for both volume and value. Geographical Indication status was confirmed for Scotch Whisky in Brazil in early 2024, giving millions of Brazilians confidence in the quality and provenance of what they’re buying. In the market, the industry saw an uplift of 22.8% for volume in 2024, attributed to an increase in bottled blended Scotch whisky exports. 

 

• Middle East and North Africa: £277m +3.9% vs 2023 (5.1% of global exports) 

• Western Europe (ex EU): £215m +28.9% vs 2023 (4.0% of global exports) 

• Sub-Saharan Africa: £141m -13.0% vs 2023 (2.6% of global exports) 

• Eastern Europe (ex.EU): £51m +19.9% vs 2023 (0.9% of global exports) 

CATEGORY DATA

In 2024, Scotch Whisky exports by category (defined by value) were:

• Bottled Blend £3.2bn +4.4% vs 2023 (59.4% of global exports) 

• Single Malt  £1.7bn -17.2% vs 2023 (31.0% of global exports) 

• Bulk Blend £189m +9.1% vs 2023 (3.5% of global exports) 

• Bulk Blended Malt £137m +17.1% vs 2023 (2.5% of global exports) 

• Bottled Blended Malt £103m -25.6% vs 2023 (1.9% of global exports) 

• Bulk Single & Blended Grain £74m +37.9% vs 2023 (1.4% of global exports) 

• Bottled Single & Blended Grain £14m -45.3% vs 2023 (0.3% of global exports) 

 

The 2024 figures, which show a decrease on 2023 export numbers, demonstrate a more normalised depiction of year on year exports for Scotch Whisky, with figures up on pre-pandemic exports for volume and value. However, the industry is seeing a global cost of living crisis impact consumers in markets around the world, as well as stock management in-market, both of which accounted for a drop in exports.