SCOTS have every right to be passionate about Saltires being replaced with Union flags on products as national branding is an “integral part of Scotland's pride”, a campaigner has said.
The practice of “Union Jackery”, when Scottish products are advertised with a Union flag instead of the St Andrew’s Cross, has accelerated over the last 10 years following David Cameron’s “Great” campaign to promote Britain internationally, according to campaigners.
One industry in particular which The National has repeatedly reported on is the food and drink sector, where produce like fruit and veg, grown in Scotland, has been branded with Union flags.
The food and drink industry is a major contributor to Scotland’s economy, with the latest figures from the Scottish Government showing the sector generates turnover of around £15 billion.
According to the Government, one of the main reasons why the country’s food and drink sector is so successful is because as a nation Scotland produces high-quality, rather than high-volume, products.
Ruth Watson (below), founder of the campaign group Keep Scotland the Brand which aims to maintain the integrity of Scottish branding on products, said it helps people feel connected to their national identity.
Watson said the food and drink sector is focal to the Keep Scotland the Brand campaign as it is universal – all Scots “need to eat”, as she puts it.
She went on to explain that Scots have already faced many battles around their culture and heritage, and one of the reasons “Union Jackery” is rejected by a large group of Scottish people is due to many of them taking pride in their food.
“The ways in which we see ourselves, and obviously within Scotland, are that we have had to battle, to fight in many respects, for our language and our culture,” said Watson.
“One of the reasons why I use food and drink a lot within the Keep Scotland the Brand campaign is because it's something that people find tangible.
“If you can make a philosophical argument tangible and real to people in their daily lives, then they can connect with it much more.
“And my goodness, people across Scotland have really responded very, very passionately about Scotland's brand.
“So, whether it's our culture, it's our heritage, whether it's our universities, whether it's our reputation and stem, which all are global.
“It all comes back for many people to the food in front of them because we all have to eat. “It’s because Scotland's food and drink sector is so important and so iconic, everybody can relate to it.”
Watson explained that the erasing of Scottish branding transcends political ideologies and is something that is universally fought for.
She said she has spoken to farmers who are Unionists and have walked out of supermarkets in disgust due to seeing their produce wrapped in Union flags.
Watson said that by replacing the farm's Scottish identity, it has wiped away years of hard work put into building a reputation and market loyalty with customers, as their national identity had become synonymous with quality.
Ewan MacDonald-Russell, deputy head of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said retailers' decisions on using Scottish-specific labelling will be driven by multiple factors.
Some of those factors included regulatory compliance, cost, and the importance of the branding to consumers. However he added that regardless of the labelling used, retailers' long-held support for Scottish producers and farmers would not be affected.
MacDonald-Russell (below) said: “Retailers buy billions of pounds of Scottish produce each year, to sell in Scotland, the UK, and other markets. Where product lines are aimed at a purely Scottish market retailers will often choose to use saltires or similar markings.
“However, in many cases these products are aimed at a wider market and therefore UK markings are used.
“Decisions on labelling are driven by regulatory compliance, cost, and the importance to consumers. Retailers will ultimately judge whether the benefits of Scottish-specific labelling outweigh those other factors.
“However, none of that will impact on retailers long-held and considerable support for Scottish producers and farmers.”
