Clearly British: Union flag added to butter packaging

The packaging of the Arla Foods product highlights how it is made using only milk from British farms by way of a Union flag. It also features an updated logo design alongside prominent references to Westbury in Wiltshire, home to Arla’s dairy where Anchor butter is made.

The Yorkshire Post’s Clearly British campaign calls for products containing milk from British farms to be clearly labelled so that shoppers can choose to support Britain’s dairy farmers who have suffered a prolonged downturn in farm gate prices.

Currently, the European Commission has blocked attempts to introduce mandatory rules.

Speaking about Arla’s decision to change the packaging of Anchor butter, Gareth Turner, the farming co-operative’s BSM category director, said: “We know those consumers increasingly want to know where the products they buy come from, so we believe it’s important to highlight that Anchor butter is made in Wiltshire, with milk from British farms, loud and proud on our packaging.”

Earlier this year, the now retired chief executive of the Red Tractor farm assurance scheme, David Clarke, said he was hopeful that Brexit would allow the British government to legislate on labelling rules, saying it would depend on trade relations with other countries.

In December, Farming Minister George Eustice hinted that the government would examine the case for mandatory labelling on dairy products once the country formally leaves the European Union.