RESEARCH polling 2,000 British consumers found eight in 10 are willing to pay an additional seven per cent for an item if it has been made in Britain. 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.
The study, commissioned by Made in Britain, also found that more than a third of people 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 British 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.
It also emerged six in 10 are more likely to be loyal to a brand if they knew it was made in Britain and a quarter would change their buying habits and shop elsewhere if a brand were to change its manufacturing location from Britain to overseas. More than two-fifths prefer to buy British regardless of what the price tag says, with half doing so for environmental reasons.
John Pearce, CEO of Made in Britain, 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.”
Eight in 10 would like to buy more British-made products than they already do. But 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 British shoppers are rarely checking the origin of before buying. In addition, more than half don't know where the energy they use, such as gas and electric, is sourced and 37 per cent don't know 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, incredibly, 57 per cent reckon their own individual buying habits can make a difference to the UK economy and 63 per cent reckon buying British could help the nation combat climate change.
Mr 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.”
Top 10 things Brits would pay more for if they were made/produced in Britain:
1. Farm produce (meat, eggs, etc.)
2. Fruit/vegetables
3. Fish (locally sourced fish)
4. Clothes/apparel
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 worktops/counters, bathtubs etc.
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 here: http://bit.ly/MiBSurvey.
By Made in Britain 4 years ago | By Made in Britain