Burnham-On-Sea MP Ashley Fox has welcomed new Conservative proposals to tighten food labelling rules and prevent the Union Jack being used on products that are not genuinely British.
The party says the current system allows food to be marketed as British — including the use of the Union Jack — even when key ingredients come from overseas, provided small‑print disclaimers appear elsewhere on the packaging. Conservative leaders argue this misleads shoppers and disadvantages UK farmers.
Under the plans, a future Conservative government would restrict the use of the Union Jack and “Made in the UK” claims to food that is fully produced in Britain.
Single‑ingredient items such as meat, eggs, dairy and fresh produce would need to be born, raised, grown, slaughtered and processed in the UK.
For multi‑ingredient products, ministers say they will consult on requiring at least 90% UK‑sourced ingredients before national flags or origin claims can be used.
The party says the move follows strong public and industry support for clearer origin labelling, and comes amid concerns from farmers about the impact of recent tax changes and uncertainty surrounding the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme.
A transition period of at least two years would be introduced to allow businesses time to update packaging. The Conservatives say they will also work with devolved governments to ensure consistent standards across the UK.
Ashley Fox MP said: “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. Making origin labelling clearer and simpler will encourage us all to eat more British-made food. Let’s eat for Britain.”
