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Spotlight On... Made In Britain
According to the trend analysts, the provenance of a product, and its carbon footprint, is going to be more important than ever this year, with a social shift in people wanting to know where everything - from UK produced food, to a gift or an item for the home - has been made. So how are ‘Made In Britain’ manufacturers helping retailers to reinforce the message to their customers? Driven by the ongoing pandemic and Brexit, there is sure to be an even stronger desire for products that have been made In Britain, with both retailers and consumers seeing it as increasingly important when making a purchase. “At Portmeirion Group, we have always seen an appetite for our Made in Britain products, and there’s no denying that we’re seeing increased demand for our ‘Made in England’ backstamp,” confirms the company’s marketing director, Gemma Copping.
“We believe that the pandemic and Brexit is, and will, continue to have an effect on the UK’s desire for product made in our factory in Stoke-on-Trent. However, the wider offering is of paramount importance too. We’re very much seeing a global trend for brands and products that have a story to tell about their heritage, craftsmanship, quality and design credentials.”
She adds that given that it is so important for retailers to be able to communicate to their customers about provenance, the company offers a bank of instore PoS and imagery, video and copy for online channels, as well as other marketing materials. “They sing loud and proud about each of Portmeirion Group’s brands,” emphasises Gemma. Warren Gell, global commercial director at Wax Lyrical, points out that at home, there is always a significant desire for British-made products, both from the perspective of customers wanting to support local industry, and also, because they trust in the high-quality craft and skills. “That same reputation for quality, steeped in heritage and tradition, drives an ever-increasing global appeal,” he states. “Wax Lyrical has significant plans for continued growth, both in the UK and across the world, and we expect our 40 years of ‘Made in England’ credentials will stand us in good stead, whatever challenges 2021 has in store for the economy,” Warren emphasises. “The attributes of being a British manufacturer certainly appeal to consumers, as does an authentic approach to environmental issues.” The company has a robust instore and online presence in place to both market its products and support retailers. “We champion our quality, design, fragrance and our ‘Made in England’ credentials by highlighting the inspiration and skilled workforce who design and manufacture with passion and pride in their work,” he adds. At Pintail Candles too, everything is made in the traditional way in the company’s
Above: Sea Breeze from Wax Lyrical’s Made In England collection. Below left: Black Italian from Spode. Below: At Pintail, everything is Made in Britain.
South Lakeland studio. “All the ingredients are sourced in the UK, even the candle tins,” highlights managing director James Long. It’s a similar story at Wild Things, based in Exeter. “Just about every aspect of what we do is British, through and through,” emphasises founder and managing director Jules Vahrman. “Not just the products, but the entire production line itself - they’re designed here, made here, quality checked here and shipped from here. As that has become a big selling point in recent times, we’ve adjusted our own marketing to reflect this fact, and, in turn, our stockists can confidently pass this onto their customers.
Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide
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