I really am trying to buy British.

Oh, I see! So I suppose it depends on what your ultimate aim is. Local jobs/UK economy/environment etc. Shopping raises so many questions nowadays!

Sure, SueDonim, they do. I wasn’t saying that buying British-made goods doesn’t benefit British workers. I was explaining that sometimes, buying foreign-made goods may still benefit British workers.

Buying anything from your local shop means you are putting food on the table for families who live close to you, keeping people in your area in a job, and supporting your local economy. The OP’s purchase of a Chinese-made kilner jar from a local shop might have done more good locally than buying a British-made one from, say, Sainsbury’s.

Don’t British workers benefit from British-manufactured goods?

Good post geekesse, I'm with you all the way on this.

British manufacturing is fizzling out unfortunately.

I’ll try to explain biba70.

Often, foreign-made products are cheaper to buy wholesale than British-made ones. Any seller, therefore, makes less profit on a British product than on a foreign one. Most buyers don’t care where the thing comes from, they just want a reasonable price.

Chain stores can buy things for less money by buying in bulk, and can afford to sell individual items with only a small profit because they can expect to shift large numbers.

Individual local shops buy goods in smaller quantities than chain stores, so the cost per item is higher. In order to make enough profit to stay in business, many choose to buy cheaper, foreign made items and sell them for a higher profit.

You may be prepared to shop around and pay more for a British made jar, but most people just want a cheap jar that does the job, and shops have to provide what customers want.

So your local shop may be selling Chinese-made jars for the same price as a chain store British jar. If you buy à British jar from the chain store, you help to pay the shareholders’ bonuses. If you buy a Chinese jar from your local shop, you keep one of your neighbours in business.

Does that clarify?

trying to get my head around your comment geekesse - but not succeeding. Why can't the local shop sell those British made ones the chainstore sells? Win, win.

Bear in mind that if you buy things from local shops, products may be manufactured abroad, but you are supporting your local economy much more by buying foreign jars there rather than British-made ones from a chainstore.

When I was buying items to help my place of work to open safely, things such as spray bottles (to be filled with disinfectant) pump bottles for soap (which we buy in 5 litres, to save on plastic waste, and money) masks and gloves ALL seemed to be made in China!

Felt rather like adding insult to injury.

it is going to be even harder if we get some Deal with Trump- as he insists provenance will no longer be shown.

How annoying PamelaJ1. I too am trying hard to buy British to support our economy but small print and old age are not happy bedfellows.
The Union Jack should really only be used when all of the product is both made and packed in the UK.