People have always been interested in where the goods they buy are produced and different parts of the world have variously been seen as aspirational across the years. With an increasing focus on the level of carbon emissions produced by shipping and a willingness to support local industries in times of economic hardship, perhaps now more so than ever it is desirable to buy something produced locally. It comes as no surprise then that a marque indicating British manufacture was recently launched in the hope of helping shoppers identify goods of British origin.

Creating an industry wide ‘kitemark’ is supposed to create a uniform way of telling what’s what amongst the plethora of other messages communicated by brands on advertising campaigns, packaging and websites. However, many brands and retailers already use their own stamps to indicate British provenance so will the new marque help or hinder shoppers?

According to a survey conducted on behalf of Stoves, the company behind the stamp, 48% of 1,000 Brits surveyed are confused about which brands’ products are actually manufactured in Britain, so maybe there is cause to introduce a new stamp.

With many iconic British brands including Dyson and Royal Doulton having now moved production abroad, there is perhaps an opportunity to be exploited by British manufacturers that have stayed put. Success of the marque will depend on the extent of its usage by British brands, for only if consumers come to expect to see it will the marque become a factor in their decision making process.