The average person in the United Kingdom consumes more than three litres of oil per day, much of which is hidden in plastics, synthetic materials and hygiene products.
According to a study by investment bank UBS Group AG (NYSE:UBS), the average Briton uses 3.3 litres per day’s worth of oil products, through a mix of petrol, electricity and household products.
The report highlights that many everyday products contain oil derivatives, including fabrics such as nylon, polyester, acrylic and spandex.
Alarmingly, oil is also present in hygiene products like soap, shampoo, detergents, deodorant, toothpaste, lipstick, shaving cream, chewing gum, plastic, sunglasses, Lego and even contact lenses and aspirin.
This is because crude oil and gasoline distillate are refined into petroleum products in oil refineries, as well as being converted into hydrocarbon gas liquids such as ethane, propane, pentane plus, isobutane and propylene, in addition to naphtha and petrochemical feedstocks.
Road transportation accounts for less than half of global oil demand, while much of the rest of its uses are in the building, industrial, power generation and personal product and hygiene sectors.
Petrochemical and other uses are estimated to account for about 28% of combined oil production, according to the report.
The countries with the highest consumption of oil and its derivatives globally are Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, which used 18 litres per day per capita in 2022.
Canada and the United States both consume more than nine litres of oil products per capita per day, according to last year's figures.
Meanwhile, oil consumption in many countries across Africa, such as Nigeria and Ghana, is close to zero, which is also the case in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
According to UBS, oil demand last year was less than 100 million barrels per day globally, after a low in 2020 when per capita demand was about 1.99 litres on average, with oil demand now at "record levels".
Analysts predict that oil consumption will continue to rise this decade, but will “plateau” after an expected post-pandemic recovery, with emerging markets predicted to drive demand in the coming years.