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Former Welsh Secretary suggests supermarkets are ‘disguising’ EU food

14 Oct 2021 2 minute read
John Redwood MP by Richard Townshend (CC BY 3.0)

A former Welsh Secretary has suggested that supermarkets are disguising food from the EU.

John Redwood, the Tory MP for Wokingham in Berkshire, claimed that they have a “keen enthusiasm to display the Union flag”, but a “marked reluctance to celebrate” food from the continent with an EU flag.

He argued that this “implies” that they “think there are plenty of people who want to buy UK food”, but that they want to “disguise” from the European Union.

On his blog, he said: “I notice in my local supermarkets a keen enthusiasm to display the Union flag on many foods the retailer can claim are home grown.

“There is a marked reluctance to celebrate the EU origins of continental food with an EU flag, or even to put a Dutch flag on the salad items and a Spanish flag on the vegetables that come from there.

“This makes it a bit more difficult for home grown food enthusiasts to spot the import. It implies the supermarkets think there are plenty of people who want to buy UK food, but not enough who will insist on EU food so they seek to disguise it.”


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Hogyn y Gogledd
Hogyn y Gogledd
3 years ago

It’s only Redwood and his cronies who think that sticking a flag on things is necessary.

For those who cannot read, probably.

Those of us who can read, do so.

Mr Williams
Mr Williams
3 years ago

Not a politician for whom I have much respect.

Ed Jones
Ed Jones
3 years ago

Early stages of Dementia?

defaid
defaid
3 years ago
Reply to  Ed Jones

Senility was also my first thought.

Erisian
Erisian
3 years ago

I can not look at that man without remembering him attempting to mime singing the Welsh National Anthem because he couldn’t be bothered to learn it.
You can’t un-see a thing like that.

Gareth Wyn Jones
Gareth Wyn Jones
3 years ago
Reply to  Erisian

That was when the term ‘swivel eyed loon’ was born

Ieuan Evans
Ieuan Evans
3 years ago

I wonder what he’s on.

Sion Cwilt
Sion Cwilt
3 years ago

Oh dear, Mr Redwood becomes ever more demented. Most produce with an EU origin or further afield clearly states this. Thus, printed on the packaging of, for example tomatoes, you’ll see the Netherlands, Spain or Morocco, The print might be small but it’s there. The union flag is prominent on some products probably as an added reminder that food produced in Britain, though the Union Flag usually means product of England. Other flags are available for food products produced in any of the other three constituent nations of the UK. I personally tend to gravitate towards those products displaying Y… Read more »

Gareth Wyn Jones
Gareth Wyn Jones
3 years ago
Reply to  Sion Cwilt

I don’t like buying food with a butcher’s apron on it, puts me off what might be inside it

Marc
Marc
3 years ago

I’v got a feeling the Spaghetti I bought might have been made in Italy!!
Those darn Europeans messing with good honest traditional British food!

defaid
defaid
3 years ago

What a strange perspective the man has. Is he hoping that European flags on food will cause people to reject it? Incitement to racial hatred?

Rich
Rich
3 years ago
Reply to  defaid

The poor man’s obviously been driven to insanity by his own rabid anti-EU xenophobia playing over and over in his mind.

Kerry Davies
Kerry Davies
3 years ago

Such a shame that today was the day he had to lend Liz Truss his brain cell.

Wrexhamian
Wrexhamian
3 years ago

He should do an essay on this for that silly book that Uncle Ifan’s been treating us to selections from.

Gareth W
Gareth W
3 years ago

Desn’t he know that it states where the food comes from. Unfortunately if it has the Union Jack it generally comes from England. If you want Welsh produce you have to specifically look for it.

Mawkernewek
3 years ago

I was in Tesco once, and there was a banner above some of the shelves saying “Supporting British Farmers” with a big Union Jack on it.

Looking at the fruit and veg underneath it, the strawberries and blueberries said “Spain”.

Mike
Mike
3 years ago

Back in the Eighties, there was a theory that this idiot came from Venus.

It would appear that he’s copying his illustrious leader, got out of the firing line, and gone back there to immerse himself in Venusian reality.

Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
3 years ago

Deluded. This man’s warped views, along with many of his deranged colleagues, are trashing the country. If you can’t get a turkey this christmas or fill your car – blame this lot. Honestly, let’s get out quickly.

Argol Fawr
Argol Fawr
3 years ago

Drivel. I read that as JR’s so nationalistic he want’s everyone to hate anything that’s not ‘British’ (he really means English). There was someone similar around in the early 20thC.

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
3 years ago

John Redwood, the Mr Bean of politics, thinks stores are disguising EU produce, lol.

Odd, went to my local supermarket the other day bought some “Brussels” Sprouts, or should we rename them, British Sprouts to ape the Americans with their anti-French “Freedom Fries”. Man’s a right plonker!

Last edited 3 years ago by Y Cymro
Quornby
Quornby
3 years ago

He found a shop with food???!!!

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