UK jewellery exports via Heathrow up 18%

The value of jewellery exported via Heathrow airport has increased by 18% over the past two years, according to new figures.

The UK customs data released by Heathrow, and analysed by management consultants Seabury, found jewellery to be the third most valuable export travelling via the London-based airport at £3bn.

Precious metals were found to be the UK’s most valuable export at £26bn, way ahead of second-place aircraft turbojets which stood at just £3.5bn.

In total, £48bn worth of British goods were exported through Heathrow between August 2014 and July 2015, a 9.7% percent increase on the previous 12 months, and represented 26% of all UK exports by value.

Meanwhile, over £7bn worth of British exports travelled to China via Heathrow during the same period, representing a 117% increase on the previous 12 months and over 15% of total UK export goods via Heathrow by value.

The USA was still the top export destination, with the value of exported goods standing at £14bn.

The data comes after the government launched its ‘Export is GREAT’ campaign, aiming to hit £1 trillion worth of exports travelling from the UK by 2020.

Emma Gilthorpe, Heathrow’s strategy director, said: “At Heathrow we are delighted to support the UK government’s Export is GREAT campaign to help raise awareness of the benefits of exporting and support network that is in place to help businesses across Britain to reach dining tables and markets across the world.

“The true heroes of this campaign are the businesses who have gone beyond UK borders and opened new markets to the benefit of their local communities and the UK’s economy.”