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1/ "Only 6% of UK businesses trade with the EU."
I have been reading every explainer I can find on this statistic (I'll link at end), and I still have a lot of questions. I'm tempted to say it's meaningless and potentially misleading.
I have been reading every explainer I can find on this statistic (I'll link at end), and I still have a lot of questions. I'm tempted to say it's meaningless and potentially misleading.
2/ First, counting 'number of businesses' is a bit pointless.
Does Tesco with ~300,000 employees and 3,500+ locations in the UK count as one business alongside Dave's hotdog cart?
Side note: Exporters are more likely to be bigger businesses.
statista.com/statistics/490…
Does Tesco with ~300,000 employees and 3,500+ locations in the UK count as one business alongside Dave's hotdog cart?
Side note: Exporters are more likely to be bigger businesses.
statista.com/statistics/490…
3/ Second, it's not clear if the statistics properly capture bundling or suppliers.
Say there are 99 UK farms all selling milk to one big UK firm which bottles it and sells it to France.
Do the statistics register that as 100 traders... or 1?
Say there are 99 UK farms all selling milk to one big UK firm which bottles it and sells it to France.
Do the statistics register that as 100 traders... or 1?
4/ This works the other way as well.
Let's say there is one importer bringing in shampoo from Italy, then on-selling it or distributing it to 99 hairdressing salons across the UK.
100 traders... or 1?
Let's say there is one importer bringing in shampoo from Italy, then on-selling it or distributing it to 99 hairdressing salons across the UK.
100 traders... or 1?
5/ Third, these statistics obviously ignore the industry that grows up selling services to the employees of large exporters.
A JLR factory in your small town, employing thousands of people, is a potential lynchpin of the local economy. The 6% statistic misses that.
A JLR factory in your small town, employing thousands of people, is a potential lynchpin of the local economy. The 6% statistic misses that.
6/ Fourth, to channel @GeorgeMRiddell here for a moment. We're forgetting services. Again.
The methodologies used by to derive 'trader' figures are inevitably goods exclusive. However, statistically speaking there's an 80% chance you, dear reader, work in services.
The methodologies used by to derive 'trader' figures are inevitably goods exclusive. However, statistically speaking there's an 80% chance you, dear reader, work in services.
7/ Like I said at the top, these are just the questions which leaped out at me when I saw the 6% figure. They largely remained after reading available Explainers.
Statistics is not my field. I am very open to being convinced my suspicions are unfounded.
Statistics is not my field. I am very open to being convinced my suspicions are unfounded.
