Buying British: 50% recognise Made in Britain trademark
Following calls for a ‘Buy British’ campaign, YouGov polling reveals that 50% of UK adults recognise the official Made in Britain trademark, and 44% would be encouraged to buy products with the label.
Made in Britain is a trade organisation representing more than 2,160 UK manufacturers. Members, who must demonstrate their commitment to UK manufacturing and a series of sustainability and ethical standards, display the Made in Britain trademark on their products and wider branding as a mark of distinction. Last month, the organisation reported a surge in businesses applying to be members of Made in Britain since America’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariff announcements, with applications increasing by 20% in April.
Now, polling has revealed the extent to which the official Made in Britain campaign has gained traction with British consumers, with 50% of UK adults recognising its trademark.
The survey also found that 44% of Britons would be encouraged to buy British if domestically-manufactured goods carried clear Made in Britain branding. This is only slightly fewer than those who said price relative to non-UK products (46%) and availability (45%) were the main factors.
Last month, the Liberal Democrats were among those calling for a national ‘buy British’ campaign, including the use of clear ‘Made in Britain’ labelling. Made in Britain has backed this suggestion and has written to Sir Kier Starmer, Kemi Badenoch and Sir Ed Davey to underline its established, industry-led, not-for-profit, independent and widely recognised efforts to support UK manufacturing in the UK and around the world.
The broad recognition of the Made in Britain trademark is a major milestone for the not-for-profit trade organisation, which was established in 2015 to champion British manufacturing and help businesses to sell more of their UK-made goods. Its trademark appears on tens of thousands of UK-made goods, from construction materials to luxury clothing, as a mark of provenance and distinction.
Made in Britain CEO, John Pearce said: “The Made in Britain trademark only appears on products that are verified as being manufactured in the UK and member organisations must also demonstrate their commitment to our social and ethical standards. As a result, shoppers, consumers and businesses throughout supply chains know that products carrying the trademark really live up to what it means to be Made in Britain.
“Businesses and government are reorienting supply chains and shoring up new trade deals to support British manufacturing, meanwhile consumers are looking for more British-made goods as a result of the recent turbulence. We’re growing every day as businesses realise the value of celebrating their Britishness, and we’ve seen a huge surge in interest, with membership enquiries doubling in the month since the introduction of tariffs on goods exported to America.
“The recent tariffs and economic turbulence have rightly drawn attention to the value of British-made goods, so we’re pleased to be helping businesses to proudly fly the flag and stand apart from their global competitors.
“Today, we have over 2,160 manufacturers in our membership, with tens of thousands of products bearing our trademark. 50% of all UK adults recognise our logo which they’ll have seen on products ranging from vans and wheelie bins to medical gowns and coffee makers.”
For more information on the Made in Britain campaign, visit the website: www.madeinbritain.org