Lincolnshire MP sets out plans to close the ‘flag loophole’ on food and back British Farmers

Louth and Horncastle MP Victoria Atkins and the Conservative Party say it they have consistently championed British farming and rural businesses.

That is why they say if the Conservatives are re-elected to government they will reform food labelling laws. They says this measure is increasingly urgent following the Government’s ‘Family Farm and Family Business Tax’, as well as the ongoing lack of clarity surrounding the vital Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme, which has left many agricultural businesses and farms facing uncertainty and disadvantage.

Victoria Atkins MP, Member of Parliament for Louth & Horncastle and Shadow Environment Secretary, said: “Over the last 14 months, as part of the Conservatives’ policy renewal programme, I have been speaking to farmers about what they need to survive and thrive. In the last two weeks, that has included the Lincolnshire Farming Conference and the NFU Conference.

“We should all eat British food whenever we can. When customers choose a product either flying the Union Jack flag or claiming, ‘Made in Britain’, it should mean exactly that.

“Currently, food grown overseas yet merely assembled or packaged here can fly the flag or be described as ‘British’. The Conservatives will close the flag loophole and make food origin labelling clearer so that consumers can be sure that they’re buying British food which is actually grown and produced in our country.

“British farmers and food producers are crucial to our nation’s food security, feeding the nation with high-standard produce. Making origin labelling clearer and simpler will encourage us all to eat more British-made food. Let’s eat for Britain!”

Under current rules, products can display the Union Jack Flag or be marketed as British even when key ingredients are sourced overseas, provided disclaimers are included elsewhere on the packaging. Ms Atkins says this is incredibly misleading for consumers and undermines the high standards of genuine British producers.

She said Conservatives would ensure that the Union Jack Flag and “Made in the UK” claims may only be used where food is genuinely produced in the United Kingdom. Single-ingredient products such as meat, eggs, dairy and fresh produce would need to be entirely born, raised, grown, slaughtered and processed in the UK. For multi-ingredient products we will consult on a requirement for 90 per cent to be UK-sourced ingredients before national flags or “Made in” claims could be displayed.

Ms Atkins says these reforms are supported by strong public and industry backing, with clear evidence that consumers want simpler and more honest origin labelling. She said that farmers have long argued that current rules disadvantage domestic producers and dilute the value of genuinely British goods.

A transition period of at least 24 months is suggested to allow businesses to adapt packaging within existing redesign cycles, limiting costs and avoiding unnecessary waste.

Ms Atkins and the Conservatives will call upon and support all devolved Governments to implement identical labelling standards to ensure that all four countries of the United Kingdom are supported and uphold the same standards.