Why is it that here in the Uk we do not manufacture more goods instead of importing so much?

Question

This came to my notice when I saw the looters on the beach in Devon and they were finding such petty things as nappies, training shoes etc. Surely if we manufactured such things as well as others in this country the unemployment level would decline greatly.

Answer 1

Excellent question, but I wish there was no need to ask it. When I was younger the UK manufactured all that it possibly could and British-made was renowned for its quality. Gradually, the British companies (and others) realised that they could achieve much bigger profit margins by resourcing overseas, so our factories gradually closed. Not only were a lot of jobs lost, but I've always felt that our almost total reliance on other countries to supply us with goods is a big mistake; we should have kept some of our independence by continuing to manufacture British. When I've mentioned this to businessmen, they've replied that the bottom line is what's important, and shareholders want maximum return for investment. As for the looters - they're just lowdown thieves who would do the same whenever and wherever the opportunity arose.

Answer 2

Can't say definitively, of course, but in the U.S. this is for a number of reasons, such as jobs in that industry not paying enough, most people wanting to work in offices rather than factories, and that pollution would increase greatly because of the waste & byproducts that manufacturing & production produce. People object to chemical smells in the air & lots of oversight is necessary to ensure companies are properly handling waste & doing what they can to create as little pollution as possible, but these things cost money & companies don't want to spend it.

Answer 3

Firstly Britain actually has pretty low unemployment. That is why lots of immigrants come here. However most jobs are not in manufacturing - for the very good reason that it is much cheaper to make many items abroad in countries with low wages.

Answer 4

All our manufacturing industry has gone now which is sad as we had some of the best craftsmen in the world, but cost are too dear here today.
The one industry that is thriving is car building, not your ford, vauxhall, but F1 cars and rally cars almost all the teams are based in the UK, so if it can be cost effective for these teams to be here, why is it no one else is keen to be based here ?

Answer 5

the devon thing is just greed grab what you can for free
regarding manufactured products its cheaper to have them made for example in the far east cheaper wages etc but its certainly not always good quality its all down to what joe public is willing to pay at the end of the day

Answer 6

We have not fought at all for the last ten years to keep what was left. The pressures of global competition were there but we put up no defence at all.

Labour has no idea how to run an economy. Their own party is bankrupt - they couldn't run a fish and chip shop.

Answer 7

Cheaper to import than pay people to make things here.

But I don't think that's got anything to do with the looters in Devon I think they were just trying to steal anything they could lay their hands on rather than buying it, shocking behaviour.

Answer 8

Ask the editor of the Daily Mail: hate and fear spurts from every page of this vile **** rag, feverishly gripped in a permanent state of outrage about, well, everything.

Answer 9

yes u are rite their, the problem is because of all the taxes that the government has in place it is expensive to import the materials in to make goods, therefore thats why goods are made outwith the country as they havin people working for pennies a day to make things,

Answer 10

its simple really, its a lot cheaper to produce goods abroad.
labor costs, manufacting costs
where things are made in bulk with not much skill needed countries like china are ideal