Spread fans are fuming over Brussels meddling which could mean the breakfast staple could have to have a rebrand as the Government look to relink with the EU.
Paddington Bear’s favourite marmalade is facing a rebrand thanks to PM Keir Starmer’s EU reset. Spread fans are fuming over Brussels meddling which could mean the breakfast staple could have to have a rebrand as the Government look to relink with the EU.
Britain is preparing to re-adopt EU food laws to boost trade and cut red tape for exporters, but it means that Brits could find themselves in a jam when wanting to buy their toast toppers. Brussels previously decided to widen the word’s legal definition so jams made from fruits such as plums or figs can be marketed as “marmalade” across the EU from June.
But in order to distinguish the more traditional product, it means normal marmalade as we know and love it will have to be given a new name. Instead recipes from oranges, lemons and limes will then have to carry the “citrus marmalade” label.
Reform UK business spokesman Richard Tice was fuming about the planned change.
He said: “No bungling Brussels bureaucrats should be telling Brits how to label our delicious marmalade. Hands off our marmalade!”
The fruit spread — famously Paddington Bear’s favourite food — will have to be labelled “citrus marmalade” under new plans.
Until recently, EU rules protected the word marmalade as a citrus preserve and meant no other jams could be labelled as such.
But it caused confusion in parts of Europe where variations of the word marmalade are used for many fruit spreads — which led to the law change.
The new rule is already applied in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework.
Now ministers are considering extending it to England, Scotland and Wales, possibly by next year, as part of a deal covering more than 70 EU food regulations.
Defra has previously warned the changes “could be confusing for UK consumers”.