New rules and logos to protect British food and drink
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New rules and logos to guarantee authenticity and origin of British
produce Products, such as Stilton cheese and Melton Mowbray pork
pies, will carry new logo to help shoppers buy with confidence.
British food and drink companies to benefit from protection from
imitation New rules and logos to protect British food and drink,
guaranteeing the authenticity of regional and traditional foods for
shoppers and protecting British producers from...Request free trial
New rules and logos to protect British food
and drink, guaranteeing the authenticity of regional and
traditional foods for shoppers and protecting British producers
from imitation, have been set out today.
At the end of the Transition Period, the new
and independent Geographical Indications (GI) schemes will make
sure that popular and traditional produce from across the country
will be granted special status to mark out their authenticity and
origin, for example Scotch whisky and Welsh lamb.
This means that shoppers will be able to buy
their favourite food and drink with confidence, and producers
whose foods are granted GI status will benefit from intellectual
property protection so that others cannot imitate them. GIs are
highly valued by producers and are exemplars of the wide range of
quality British products enjoyed around the world. They represent
around a quarter of UK food and drink exports by value,
approaching £6bn in export value in 2019.
GIs are only awarded to highlight regional and
traditional foods whose authenticity and origin can be
guaranteed. The new logos representing the unique and protected
nature of these products to consumers have been unveiled today,
which can be displayed on all British produce which is given GI
status.
Environment Secretary George
Eustice said:
“The new UK protected food name scheme will
replace the old EU one and will ensure that we continue to
recognise and celebrate protected food names and local recipes
across our country.
“The new logos launched today will become a
staple on supermarket aisles in the UK and mean shoppers will be
able to pick the best of British, from Scotch whisky and Welsh
lamb to Cornish clotted cream.”
There are three UK GI logos, which were
developed in conjunction with GI producers, Devolved
Administrations and consumers, which mark each designation of
geographical indication:
The UK GI schemes will replace the EU’s
schemes on 1 January 2021 as the Transition Period ends.
Legislation laid in Parliament today will:
Registered producers of British food, drink
and agricultural GI products that are required to use the logos
will have until 1 January 2024 to change packaging to display the
new UK GI logos. This timeframe will enable producers, who have
been consulted extensively on the scheme, to introduce the logos
to their products in good time. Guidance is available on GOV.UK
including for the simplified process on new UK GI
application.
Nicholas Rodda, Managing Director,
Rodda’s Creamery
“The UK is celebrated for producing some of
the very best food and drink in the world. The new GI status will
not only strengthen the authenticity of our Cornish clotted cream
on a global stage, but also provide new opportunities for our
business conversations internationally.
“We were delighted to be involved in the
development of the GI logos, ensuring the prestigious nature of
the PDO is represented within the new designs. The new GI status
will ensure consumers can continue to enjoy Cornish clotted cream
with knowledge that it has been made in Cornwall, with Cornish
milk and crafted using traditional methods.”
Anglesey Sea Salt Halen Mon PDO,
welcomes the continued protection of its name and special
characteristics:
“In a world of cheap imitations and pressures
on costs, it’s important for producers and consumers alike to be
able to depend on a marque which is a guarantee of authenticity
and quality.”
All UK products currently protected under the
EU’s GI schemes will continue to be protected in the UK and the
EU after the end of the transition period.
The UK Government is also currently working to
expand and increase the number of GI protections through Free
Trade Agreements. The recently announced UK-Japan Comprehensive
Economic Partnership Agreement will offer new protection for more iconic UK goods – increasing GIs
from just seven under the terms of the EU-Japan deal to
potentially over 70 under this new agreement, which would lead to improved recognition of key UK
brands in the Japanese market.
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