British upholstery group Sofa Brands International has today launched research showing that almost half of the UK population wrongly believe that Britain’s manufacturing industry is on the decline. The research also shows that one in six people in the UK believe that Britain hardly manufactures anything – this is despite a big government-backed push to get behind goods that are ‘Made in Britain’.
The UK’s manufacturing output is ranked 7th in the world, according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development’s released figures. This equates to $233 billion, 10 percent of the UK’s GDP.
Scott Malvenan, chief executive at Sofa Brands International, says: “Britain has long been a proud nation of craftsmen and women. We have a history of producing a variety of high-level goods, from delicate textiles and electronics, to sophisticated automotive and defence equipment.
“At Sofa Brands International this is reflected in our continued growth. We are creating new jobs, building new premises and expanding to sell internationally. Britain has a great reputation for quality and detail, something we are delighted to promote through the furniture that we produce each year in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Wiltshire.”
Whilst the majority of respondents believe that UK manufacturing is in decline, an overwhelming majority (65.8%) of respondents said they would be prepared to pay more for a product if it was British. Perhaps this means that brands should be more ready to inform customers if their products are made exclusively in Britain.
