UK food guarantees to replace EU

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 were launched yesterday.

When the Brexit transition period ends on January 1, the UK will no longer be able to use the current EU scheme, which offers protection to products such as Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Orkney cheddar.

But the new and independent Geographical

Indications schemes will make sure that produce which qualified for protection under the EU scheme will be allowed to use the new logos to mark out their continued authenticity – and products granted GI status will benefit from intellectual property protection so that others cannot imitate them.

Launched yesterday under ‘The Agricultural Products, Food and Drink (Amendment etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020’ Defra said that GIS were highly valued by producers and were used on around a quarter of UK food and drink exports by value, approaching £6bn in 2019.

NFU Scotland’s livestock policy manager John Armour said protection for these products was expected to continue in Europe, while it would be transitioned to the UK system for the UK market.

“Producers of GI products will have until 1 January 2024 to change packaging and marketing materials to display the new UK GI logos,” he added.

Tom Gibson, director of market development at Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) welcomed the new legislation, saying that it would continue to protect the authenticity of Scotch brands.