The number of soap manufacturers in the United Kingdom is nearly 300, and the amount of capital invested in the industry is roughly estimated to approach £20,000,000 sterling.
Official figures are still available for the amount and value of soap annually imported and exported to and from the United Kingdom, the returns for the last eight years being:—
Imports.
| Household. | Toilet. | Total.[13] | ||||
| Year. | Quantity. | Value. | Quantity. | Value. | Quantity. | Value |
| Cwts. | £ | Cwts. | £ | Cwts. | £ | |
| 1900 | ... | ... | ... | ... | 191,233 | 244,345 |
| 1901 | ... | ... | ... | ... | 302,555 | 315,026 |
| 1902 | ... | ... | ... | ... | 361,851 | 429,300 |
| 1903 | 273,542 | 284,376 | 25,749 | 98,032 | 462,959 | 499,407 |
| 1904 | 254,425 | 268,408 | 17,962 | 81,162 | 383,122 | 438,966 |
| 1905 | 274,238 | 279,044 | 19,631 | 98,507 | 473,067 | 500,430 |
| 1906 | 309,975 | 311,114 | 18,554 | 101,243 | 399,070 | 468,086 |
| 1907 | 228,035 | 263,965 | 18,244 | 99,432 | 504,710 | 545,385 |
Household and toilet soaps were not given separately prior to 1903.
The imports during the last three years for which complete figures are obtainable, came from the following sources:—
Household Soap.
| 1904. | 1905. | 1906. | |
| £ | £ | £ | |
| From Netherlands | 4,315 | 3,620 | 3,368 |
| France | 14,339 | 17,783 | 24,747 |
| Italy | 24,209 | 18,129 | 32,972 |
| United States | 218,740 | 235,612 | 242,294 |
| Other Foreign Countries | 6,785 | 3,873 | 7,448 |
| Total from Foreign Countries | 268,388 | 279,017 | 310,829 |
| Total from British Possessions | 20 | 27 | 285 |
| Total | 268,408 | 279,044 | 311,114 |