UK and US consumers react positively to Made In Britain label

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Dec 7, 2017

As the UK prepares for Brexit it seems that ‘made in Britain’ remains an aspirational label for domestic shoppers as well as for those in the US.

In new research, market and brand Intelligence platform Attest spoke to 4,000 UK and US consumers and found that 75% would buy a product with a Made in Britain label.

‘Quality’ is what they most associate with the UK-made tag, followed by ‘stylish’, although 46% of those questioned said they think of UK-made products as ‘expensive’ too.

While a third of Americans said they don’t know of any British brands, almost 40% said that Made in Britain products are ‘desirable’. And 39% of UK respondents said they feel more positively towards British brands and products post-Brexit vote.

When asked to list their favourite British brands, US respondents said Burberry. That’s no surprise given the brand’s status as the pre-eminent UK luxury label and its popularity with shoppers abroad. 

Meanwhile those in the UK said retailer M&S, which despite its problems, remains one of the country’s leading retail brands. However, the company outsources a large amount of its manufacturing to foreign factories. They also cited chocolate brand Cadbury, although the latter is now US-owned.

“Britain’s reputation for style and quality, both within the UK and overseas, is evident in our findings,” said Mark Walker, Marketing Director at Attest. “Rather than Brexit diminishing Britain’s reputation for consumer brands on the world stage, it appears to be presenting an opportunity to redefine ‘Made in Britain’ both at home and abroad.”

Calling the research “encouraging”, John Noble, Director of the British Brands Group added that UK brands are “a strong source of pride, but also of our international competitiveness. British brands help shape perceptions of the UK around the world, with the Nation Brand Index rating the country third out of 50 for the strength of its image and reputation.”