Thought this tiny island wasn’t capable of its own production? These 8 UK made products will teach you to think again.
There are well over 8 products which we routinely make here in the UK, but 8 is a good start to showcase them. The
UK has survived as an island for longer than America’s whole history. They would not have been able to do that if it wasn’t a fruitful land which has all the resources you need for survival. Mixed with bad weather and a complete lack of sphagnum moss (the Vikings used it all), You will find several high quality products that make excellent exports from these shores. These 8 are just a taster of what this land has to offer… and it offers a lot.
The 8 Products to Come From the UK
Let’s try and examine exactly what the top 8 exports are for the UK to prove that this wee island can hold its own in the global market.
1 – The Guillotine
Of course, we don’t make them like we used to, but the guillotine was never a French invention. It did rise to become the main tool of the French Revolution, but it was made by the high society members of Yorkshire. There was an even earlier version of one made in Edinburgh in 1564. Over its 145 years of use, it oversaw 150 deaths. So not Britain’s proudest invention, but definitely one of the more famous ones.
2 – The Corgi
The Welsh Corgi was first made famous by HRH Queen Elizabeth II. Her love of these loaf-like little dogs is world famous. She kept them for all the years of her life, meaning that the Royal Family have some of the purest bred Corgis in the known world. It might not strictly be an invention, but it is a huge export from the UK.
3 – Whisky
We cannot do an article about the best things made in the UK without mentioning whisky. Not any particular whisky, just all of it in general. Scots have been indulging in this top tipple since an estimated 1000AD. The earliest written recipe we have for this wonderful booze comes from the Scottish Exchequer in 1494. They called it aqua vitae – the water of life. Nearly a millennia later, it still is.
4 – Food!
Hundreds of food items are made in the UK. Here are some that you may recognize, according to the British Corner shop:
- Walkers or Lays crisps.
- Pot Noodle.
- Fox’s biscuits.
- Haribo sweets.
- Pataak’s curry sauces.
- Maynard’s sweets, alongside Cadbury chocolate, Terry’s chocolate oranges, Hartley’s jam, Walkers shortbread, Swizzle sticks, Maynard’s gums, and several others.
- Tunnock’s tea cakes and snowballs.
- Weetabix
- Mackie’s crisps/ice cream
- Nairn’s oatcakes
- And hundreds of other products.
The UK had to rely on its own supplies for most of those early centuries. What came as a result of this is a love of cooking and recipes passed down through the generations.
5 – The Mini
The Mini first graced our streets in 1961. Since then, it evolved to become one of the most British types of cars in existence. However, if you think the Mini Cooper is the only car belonging to the UK, you’d be wrong. We also make or made the following:
- Lotus
- Maclaren
- MG
- Land Rover
- Rolls Royce
- Jaguar
- Lagonda
- Bentley
- Aston-Martin
- And a few lesser known brands such as MOKE, Daimler, and Lister Cars.
6 – Chemicals
Chemical production began here in the UK during the first Industrial Revolution. The earliest product was bleach, which caused terrible damage to the landscape in England, then later a dye called mauveine. Chemical production is largely confined to England, which has enabled Scotland, Wales, and NI, to remain comparatively untouched. 85% of the chemical industry resides in England, making around 20% of the research and development of the country’s yearly output.
7 – Beans
This is a weird one. The UK houses a brand named Heinz, and Heinz own a huge corner of the tinned goods market. They make soups, and tinned spaghetti, and very famously, baked beans in tomato sauce. When TikTok recently found out that beans on toast was a genuine meal in Britain, they blew up the internet. Yes, it is a poor man’s meal. Yes, there are lots of poor people living in the UK. There is real poverty here, even in a country that is named the 9th largest manufacturer in the world.
8 – Generators, Windmills, and Solar Panels
A rising star and one of the biggest Welsh exports; power generating machinery is a rapidly growing market. The northernmost parts of the UK contain around 12,000 wind turbines. Scotland alone generates enough renewable energy to cover its energy costs. Since export deals are in place, though, that renewable energy gets sold to other countries, leaving it at a deficit. The government are still adding windfarms, so it is a problem which ought to solve itself soon.
The UK Holds Its Own
If we have learned nothing else here today, it is that the UK really do hold their own when it comes to manufacturing. Do you make your own products in Britain? Let us know in the comments and we could very well add your product to the list.
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