Why Supermarket Cheddar Might Not Be Quite as British as it Seems

Why Supermarket Cheddar Might Not Be Quite as British as it Seems

The Daily Mail has once again highlighted the plight of the British Farmer. This time it is about our Cheddar, which has enjoyed pride of place on the British cheeseboard for nearly 900 years. Its sharp, tangy flavour and firm texture have helped to make it the country’s most popular cheese. However, increasingly the cheddar in our supermarkets is being produced abroad. Between January and June this year we imported 62,003 tons of cheddar, compared with 48,633 in the same period last year, according to DairyCo, a body representing UK milk producers. Thanks to a loophole, much of the Cheddar labelled “Packaged in Britain” will have been produced overseas. 

According to Lyndon Edwards, Chairman of the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers, around 14 farmers are leaving the dairy industry each week. To stop the industry’s decline, the association wants more supermarkets and cheese producers to source cheese and milk from Britain. It is also campaigning to stop blocks of cheese being imported, then cut up and labelled as “packaged in Britain”. Although Cheddar has been produced in England since at least 1170, the name is considered to be generic. So, unlike European cheeses, it can be made anywhere in the world and not just in the Somerset village of Cheddar, where the caves historically provided an ideal environment for maturing cheeses.
 
In the past century cheese making has declined dramatically. Before the First World War there were more than 3,500 major cheese makers in Britain. Fewer than 100 remained after the Second World War. That is despite the fact that, although cheese was rationed during that war, manual workers who were involved in supporting the war efforts were provided with extra cheese each week.  In such a situation now, Britain would have to make enormous efforts to revive our essential farming industry. Fair Trade is understandably a good marketing global strategy but let it be extended to our own farmers first and make their industry profitable for them.

Buying British is Important

Buying British makes sense to reduce global warming and pollution and to support more independent and confident food production. We need to support our own economy and farming heritage before it completely disappears. This article contained no comment from any food retailers.

British Skin Care Traditions

For similar reasons, it is just as important to buy Yin Yang, an entirely British beauty routine because it is good quality, supports our own heritage, comes without a cost to the environment and IT WORKS. For almost 40 years Yin Yang has been the first choice of many loyal customers who tell us that it is an integral part of their healthy regime. This consumer appreciation is the best encouragement for any producer, so let us give our support to as many British farmers and manufacturers as we can. Let us be proud of our traditions and heritage to secure a good future for us all.