A report commissioned by Alibaba Group reveals that UK exports via Alibaba Group’s platforms increased by more than half (57%) in 2022.
Across 27 European countries, sales to China via Alibaba Group’s platforms totalled about €32.3 billion in 2022 – up a third since 2019.
According to the report produced by SDA Bocconi School of Management in Italy, between 2019 and 2022 companies from 27 countries exported €121.4 billion worth of goods to Chinese consumers using Alibaba’s platforms in China: Taobao Global, Tmall, Tmall Global, and Freshippo. This not only reflects growing demand from Chinese consumers for European brands and high-quality products in a wide range of categories, but also highlights the growing role of digital platforms in enabling cross-border opportunities for businesses around the globe.
In 2022, more than a third (35%) of the gross merchandise value of goods exported was led by beauty, perfumes, personal care and make-up products. This was followed by textiles and apparel (31%), food and beverages (8%), and furniture and other manufactured goods (7%).
In addition to driving growth for individual European businesses, exports have been a major contributor to economic growth across Europe. Between 2019-2022, European exports to China through Alibaba’s platforms contributed nearly €70 billion to the GDP of Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the UK, while enabling the creation of more than 205,965 jobs.
In the UK, more than £956 million in estimated tax revenue was collected due to sales on Alibaba’s platforms in 2022, up from £606 million in 2019. Additionally, the estimated number of people employed by businesses selling on Alibaba’s platforms rose from 24,006 in 2019 to more than 33,357 in 2022.
The report illustrated the role Alibaba plays in supporting European SMEs in their growth journey, through its digital platforms and tools, helping international businesses target the Chinese market. It also highlighted the role of digital platforms in promoting business model innovation among SMEs.
Eric Pelletier, vice president and head of international government relations at Alibaba, said: “Alibaba helps European and UK companies, of all sizes, sell to customers in international markets protecting UK jobs and contributing to the local economy. E-commerce opens cross border markets for SMEs enabling them to utilise digital tools to market and sell their products to customers they would otherwise never have the capacity to do business with.”
