Statistical bulletin: Products of the European Community, 2010 - Intermediate Estimates

Products of the European Community

• The Intermediate estimate for the 2010 PRODCOM Survey shows that UK manufacturers’ production increased in value terms by 7.6% from 2009.
• Total turnover of manufactured products in 2010 is valued at approximately £331 billion, up from £308 billion in 2009.
• The largest sales in manufacturing in 2010 (and 2009) continue to be from: Food; Motor vehicles, trailers & semi-trailers; Chemicals & chemical products; Fabricated metal products; Machinery & equipment and Other transport equipment Divisions.
• Of the top 10 products, listed in the table following, three relate to the motor industry (Motor vehicles) while three are in the drinks sector (Whisky, Water and Beer).

Summary

This bulletins contains information relating to the latest PRODCOM estimates for 2010.

Top 10 manufactured products with the highest production by value

Table 1

Table source: Office for National Statistics

Table notes:

1. The actual value has been suppressed to maintain confidentiality

The annual PRODCOM Survey provides information on products manufactured and sold within the UK. The PRODCOM list, which is set by the European Commission, contains a comprehensive breakdown of industries covering over 3,800 products. The list is hierarchical, with a ‘Division’ divided into ‘Industries’, and then aggregates of products, then detailed products. For example within the Chemicals and chemical products Division,  there is an industry for the Manufacture of perfumes and toilet preparations, this is further extended into 19 defined products, ranging from perfumes and toilets waters; shampoos and hair lacquers to toothpaste and denture cleaners (Dentifrices).

The PRODCOM survey is conducted across all EU member states. Data are regularly used in matters relating to EU anti-dumping cases and increasing use of the data is in climate-change and other environmental statistics.

Latest data for the EU 27.

The 2010 survey period is 01 January 2010 to 31 December 2010.

Background notes

1. Key issues specific to this release

   The annual PRODCOM survey provides information on PRODucts of the European COMmunity and is compiled from data received from UK manufacturers. In 2010 the survey was sent to approximately 21,500 businesses, covering 234 industries and 3,866 products. Data available includes value and volume of product sales, total turnover, merchanted goods, work done, sales of waste products and all other income.

   This publication is slightly delayed from its original publication date of 30 December 2011, to allow for integration of a revised standard errors programme. During 2011, following a review of the methodology for producing standard errors for PRODCOM, it was identified that some changes were necessary. This has resulted in the standard errors (and as such coefficients of variation) being slightly higher for some of the product headings. It is therefore important to note that any increases to the quality measures compared with previous year's quality measures do not necessarily represent a decrease in the quality of the estimates.

   An extensive revision of NACE in 2007 resulted in changes to PRODCOM estimates for the 2008 survey onwards. All industry sectors now align exactly to the NACE classification. This differs from previous years where, in some instances, the UK published PRODCOM estimates under its own Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) which only matched the NACE classification to the first four digits.

2. Uses of the data

   This bulletin provides information on the value of UK product sales. The spreadsheets relating to this report contain estimates of sales for UK based manufacturers of individual products covered by the PRODCOM survey, and most contain imports and exports estimates supplied by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

   Results are presented by manufacturing division and each division is further broken down into individual products.

   The survey is conducted across all EU member states to allow comparison with other EU countries.

   At present ONS is not aware of all of the users of the PRODCOM estimates, or whether the current output meets their needs. To address this, a user engagement survey began in 2011 and will continue in early 2012.

3. Link to Quality and Methodology Information Survey (QMI)

   A QMI Report, replacing the previous Survey Quality Report, is due to be published in February 2012 and will be available from the ONS website at:

   http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/method-quality/quality/quality-information/business-statistics/index.html

   This report describes, in detail, the intended uses of the statistics presented in this publication, their general quality and the methods used to produce them. 

4. Common pitfalls in interpreting series

   PRODCOM is a survey of 'Manufacturer Sales' which is used as a proxy for production. It is therefore an indirect measure of UK production

   Intra and Extra EU Import and Export data is that of HMRC and is not collected by ONS. It is included within the PRODCOM reports for the benefit of demonstrating UK Net Supply only.

   The sum of constituent items in tables may not always agree exactly with the totals shown due to rounding.

   The following symbols are used in the tables: S Suppressed as disclosive

   S* Suppressed as disclosive but included in the aggregated for UK Manufacturer Sales of “Other” products aggregated for UK in the Sales and Turnover table.

   N/A   Data not available

   *  Not able to provide data due to secondary disclosure, different units of measurement or other technical issues.

5. Coverage

   Product information is available from the following Manufacturing Divisions

   Division	Title
   8	Other mining and quarrying
   10	Food products
   11	Beverages
   12	Tobacco products
   13	Textiles
   14	Wearing Apparel
   15	Leather and related products
   16	Wood and of products of wood and cork (except furniture); articles of straw and plaiting materials
   17	Paper and paper products
   18	Printing and reproduction of recorded media
   19	Coke and refined petroleum products
   20	Chemicals and chemical products
   21	Basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations
   22	Rubber and plastic products
   23	Other non-metallic mineral products
   24	Basic metals
   25	Fabricated metal products (except machinery and equipment)
   26	Computer, electronic and optical equipment
   27	Electrical equipment
   28	Machinery and equipment, not elsewhere classified
   29	Motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers
   30	Other transport equipment
   31	Furniture
   32	Other manufacturing
   33	Repair and installation of machinery and equipment

   Table source: Office for National Statistics

   Download table

   • XLS format
     (19 Kb)

   Comparative data for EU countries can be found at:

   http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/prodcom/introduction

6. Sample Information

   The survey sample is derived from ONS’ Inter-Departmental Business register. Businesses are selected by employment size and industry classification. Additional constraints are built into the sample design with a view to restricting the form filling burden on smaller businesses.

7. Revisions

   This is the second (Intermediate) set of data for the 2010 period and the third (Final) set of data for 2009.

8. Response Rate

   The response rates reflect the response rates at the time of publication. Late and revised returns are included in results each year.

   	Forms	Employment
   2010	80.3	84.9
   2009	82.1	92.1

9. Coherence

   Data collected by the Annual Minerals Raised Inquiry (AMRI) on mineral extraction are used in the PRODCOM survey to avoid duplication.

   Intra and Extra EU Import and Export data are supplied by HMRC.

10. Disclosure

    Statistical disclosure control methodology is applied to the PRODCOM estimates. This ensures that information attributable to an individual business is not disclosed in any publication. The Code of Practice for Official Statistics sets out principles for how ONS protects data from being disclosed.

11. Publication policy

    Details of the policy governing the release of new estimates are available from the ONS press office.

    National statistics are produced to high professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference. © Crown copyright 2012.

    You may re-use this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence.

    To view this license, go to:

    http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/  or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU

    Email:  psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

12. Statistical contact:

    Tel:  Karen Woodsford    01633 456746
    Email:  prodcompublications@ons.gov.uk
    Website:  www.ons.gov.uk 

13. Next publication date

    30 June 2012

14. Details of the policy governing the release of new data are available by visiting www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/assessment/code-of-practice/index.html or from the Media Relations Office email: media.relations@ons.gsi.gov.uk

Statistical contacts