Three quarters of consumers think UK companies manufacture fewer products than during the 1980s, when in fact the reverse is true, new research reveals.

Findings from research by the Engineering Employers’ Federation (EEF), coming ahead of Manufacturing, Science and Technology Week at the International Festival for Business, revealed several misconceptions about the state of manufacturing in the UK.

Just over a third of respondents thought the sector was currently shrinking, even though it has posted several positive months of growth.

But in better news for the sector, three-quarters of respondents said they would be proud to work for a UK factory and 72 per cent prefer buying Britain-made goods.

Meanwhile nine in 10 respondents said the sector was vital to UK growth prospects.

Terry Scuoler, chief executive of EEF, said: “With the global spotlight on British manufacturing next week it is time to ditch the urban myth that Britain manufactured more in the 80s than it does today.

“The reality is that British manufacturing is a huge success story and is going from strength-to-strength, employing 2.6 million people and accounting for 11 per cent of GDP.”