Millions of Brits are now conscientiously looking for local products in a bid to help the environment.
A study of 2,000 Brits found eight in 10 are willing to splash out seven per cent more for an identical item which has been made in the UK.
Farm produce such as meat or eggs topped the list of things the nation would gladly pay over the odds for if it was sourced or manufactured locally, as well as clothing, cars and furniture.
But more than two-fifths prefer to buy British regardless of what the price tag says, with half doing so for environmental reasons.
Nearly seven in 10 make a conscious effort to buy products made in Britain because it boosts the economy, while two-thirds do so to support the employment landscape.
John Pearce, CEO of Made in Britain, which provides the official accreditation of goods manufactured in Britain and commissioned the study, said: “It’s so great to see how encouraging the nation is of buying products sourced and produced on their doorstep, with more than half of respondents saying they like to support businesses based in Britain.
“In fact, our research found adults will happily pay seven per cent more than the recommended retail price for British-made goods, which doesn’t sound like much on the surface but when it comes to big-ticket items like furniture or cars, that’s a big commitment.
“It’s so positive to see the nation willing to buy British, but it’s also evident many don’t know where to start when it comes to changing their purchasing habits.”
The study also found more than a third of adults admitted they don’t know when something is – or isn’t – made in Britain, while a fifth don’t know where to shop to buy locally-sourced products.
And two-fifths may know which brands were founded on British soil but aren’t sure if the products themselves are made in the same place of origin.
But six in 10 of those polled are more likely to be loyal to a brand if they knew their goods were made in Britain.
A quarter would even change their buying habits and shop elsewhere if a brand were to change its manufacturing location from Britain overseas.
It also emerged eight in 10 would like to buy more British-made products than they already do.
Despite this, 85 per cent don’t always consider where something is from before committing to a purchase, with beauty products, sports equipment and furniture among some of the things Brits are rarely checking the origin of before buying.
More than half also have no idea where the energy they use, such as gas and electric, is sourced and 37 per cent are unaware where their car was manufactured.
The majority of respondents (86 per cent), polled via OnePoll, agreed it’s important to try and buy British, with four in 10 saying British-made products are better quality than those produced in other locations.
And 57 per cent reckon their own individual buying habits can make a difference to the UK economy while 63 per cent reckon buying British could help the nation combat climate change.
Pearce added: “There’s certainly a lot of confusion around brands which have a British heritage and those of which are still produced in Britain.
“Similarly, it can be confusing around which goods are manufactured in Britain, regardless of their founding origin.
“We want to help create transparency between retailer and consumer – Made in Britain was launched to give a clear ‘stamp of approval’ for quality, British-made products.
“The rest of the world has long prized British manufacturing for its quality and it’s clear from our research that British consumers do too, alongside the added benefits of combatting greenhouse gases and supporting UK plc.
“It’s important that we recognise these positive stories at a time when so much coverage of the sector is downbeat.”
The findings of the survey are contained within a new report published today by Made in Britain. The Buying British report, which also includes the result of a separate study of British business decision makers, is available to download at http://bit.ly/MiBSurvey.
1. Farm produce (meat, eggs, etc.)
2. Fruit/vegetables
3. Fish (locally sourced fish)
4. Clothes
5. Shoes/ boots
6. Furniture
7. Household goods such as cookware, bakeware, cleaning products
8. Toiletries/beauty products
9. Home construction such as windows, doors, flooring etc.
10. Kitchens/Bathrooms – larger fittings such as work tops/counters, bathtubs etc.
