UK: MP calls for country of origin labelling
Manufacturing firms should be made to label produce with their country of origin, a politician in the UK has urged.
Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, led an adjournment debate on country of origin labelling, calling on the UK government to implement laws making such markings compulsory.
“British people want to see British brands manufacturing in Britain once more,” he said.
“We need to give those companies an incentive by making it clear what products are manufactured in Britain.”
He said during the debate: “If we could do anything as a government to promote and encourage people to buy our products, we must do this. It’s about a real sense of pride.
“Britain is still a great manufacturing nation, despite the many years of decline.”
The MP said accurate labelling would help British consumers choose products from the UK, and help market Britain to foreign customers.
Mr Williamson told MPs: “We should treat customers with honesty and dignity so that they can make their choices on prices, design, value and so much more.
“We need to show the world that we are proud of ‘Made in Great Britain’, but if we do not insist upon having such labels on our products, why should the world believe it?”
Responding for the government, business minister Ed Davey said his department is “proud of products made in Britain” and not opposed to country of origin labelling.
The minister stressed there was no legal requirement in the UK or on the European Union for goods to be marked with an indication of their origin.
He said: “The government isn’t opposed to labelling – this is positive country-of-origin marking. It should be done because UK manufacturers believe it is the right thing to do. This doesn’t need legislation, it can be done voluntarily. There’s no legal bar to such marking.”
