Changing to Buy British and European

Grantanow

I think there are two questions. 1. Is the British or European item of adequate quality and 2, how much more are you prepared to spend - 10%, 20%, etc., - in order to buy British or European?

It’s a good point Grantanow
People have enough problems with stretching the pounds without needing the extra pressure of buying British or European.
If you can afford it, do your bit for GB or EU industry. It’s OK to feel good about doing it, but we shouldn’t worry if we can’t afford the additional cost.

I think there are two questions. 1. Is the British or European item of adequate quality and 2, how much more are you prepared to spend - 10%, 20%, etc., - in order to buy British or European?

If you want British made shoes have a look at Hotter shoes, all made in the UK but of course more expensive than made in India or China. The plus is they last for ages

I had long wanted a Montgomery duffle coat but baulked at the £300 price tag. Now that I am trying to use the bus more, I wanted something warm to wear when waiting around.

I was lucky to find a coat in my size had been donated to Oxfam online and bought it for £60. It was described as in excellent condition but when it arrived, even better. It still had the tags in and had clearly never been worn. A lucky find, British made and very warm. I don’t know if the wool is sourced in Britain. Might be Italian.

Then there’s Hiut Denim in Cardigan, Wales who make jeans. They were featured on In the Factory, if you can bear to watch Gregg Wallace. But also this:

hiutdenim.co.uk/pages/documentary

Again, expensive. Over £200 for women’s jeans. Again, the fabric might be sourced from Italy.

For me, it is Trump's stand on Ukraine and Russia which has made me rethink. I am horrified about what I am hearing. I wasn't very happy about his tariffs but he is selling Ukraine down the river because he wants his hands on their natural riches. As a country we won't sanction USA for their betrayal of Ukraine so I am taking my own stand. It isn't about racism, it's about justice. We can also see that our "special relationship" is dead in the water so there's no point supporting the USA or relying on them to support us all the while Trump is in charge.

fancythat

I am find this thread and another I am currently on, confusing.

It used to be, going towards one world government.

MAGA was despised by some. Now it seems to be about make Britain [and the EU] great again.

And I am finding things "racist".
Though that may be just me.

I used to think of Europe as a big entity.
Now I feel it is small.

I used to think we could defend ourselves[up to a point].
Now I feel like that ship sailed quite a while ago.

I feel like we are back in the 70s and 80s.
And far far too late to worry about British manufacturing.
Well we can. But it takes time[not time we have got] to refill British coffers.
And quite frankly, even if we did, it may not be spent on the things we had assumed.

Maybe this is better written on the other thread I am on. But whatever.

I don’t think anybody wants to get into a philosophical argument with you on this thread about global markets or MAGA, , most of us just want to support our own country and those who are our closest allies, and to identify good quality products we can buy to do so.

Bought a bunch of tulips yesterday from our little Co Op.

They were grown in the county I live in.

At Tescos, their tulips said ‘Packaged In Ireland’, but not actually where they were from.

It's an every little helps situation and, like the Canadians, a stand against tariff wars by Trump.

And after the Zelensky remarks thrown by Trump, and the constant attacks to belittle Europe, asserting ourselves in every way we can.

Supply chains are very complicated, but not a reason not to try.

Freya, Trump has no compunction about hurting British workers if he introduces high tariffs. None at all. The idea from Canada is that USA companies will themselves stand up to Trump to demand changes in tariff policy and efforts made here the same.

I am find this thread and another I am currently on, confusing.

It used to be, going towards one world government.

MAGA was despised by some. Now it seems to be about make Britain [and the EU] great again.

And I am finding things "racist".
Though that may be just me.

I used to think of Europe as a big entity.
Now I feel it is small.

I used to think we could defend ourselves[up to a point].
Now I feel like that ship sailed quite a while ago.

I feel like we are back in the 70s and 80s.
And far far too late to worry about British manufacturing.
Well we can. But it takes time[not time we have got] to refill British coffers.
And quite frankly, even if we did, it may not be spent on the things we had assumed.

Maybe this is better written on the other thread I am on. But whatever.

It’s very difficult to find things manufactured in the UK that are wholly British, using only British sourced and made components. Many raw materials come from elsewhere and it’s not always clear on a product where all its components are from.
I wish people luck in buying only British or European, but as we are a small world, economically speaking, so much now comes from a variety of places, that it’s virtually impossible to source everything you need that hasn’t been made (or parts sourced to make it) in other countries, including the countries you wish to boycott. If things sourced abroad cost less, then that’s what companies will do - source them from abroad - to keep their costs down.

Arrived today, British made soup maker. Third of the price of the main flyer on the market.

grannybuy

My thirty year old St Michael pure botany wool cardigan was made in the UK, and has never gone bobbly. A recent M & S one, and supposedly pure wool, was made in Cambodia, and is already showing signs of some fuzz. There is also a noticeable difference in their weight - the old one being distinctly heavier.
Price over quality.

And this is the problem. Nowadays you cannot guarantee that anything will last. I have lots of clothes purchased from M&S that are years old but the cotton jumpers I bought at great cost more recently just won't last. Similarly, I have a shirt which was brought in the 80's. The shoulder pads are a bit battered 🤣 but the shirt is still unfaded and intact. Every time I think I should get rid of it just to ring the changes, I find myself putting it back in the cupboard. My Mothercare jumper which was probably the most expensive jumper I ever bought in my younger days is over 34 years old. I've grown into it and it has a few pulls courtesy of the cats but is otherwise as good as new.

There is a Facebook group called Buy British Made, which is very helpful for tracking down all sorts of UK produced goods.

My White Stuff knitwear is made in China, Bangladesh and Madagascar.

When I was diagnosed with cancer the biopsy cells are sent to the USA for testing.
This is supposedly faster and cheaper.

Just bought a new washing machine made in the UK and it is very good, just a straight forward model. No bells and whistles.

My thirty year old St Michael pure botany wool cardigan was made in the UK, and has never gone bobbly. A recent M & S one, and supposedly pure wool, was made in Cambodia, and is already showing signs of some fuzz. There is also a noticeable difference in their weight - the old one being distinctly heavier.
Price over quality.

@petra - I know that. I just did not expect them to be buying in toiletries from there as well.

Poopsie

Also surprised at the amount of toiletries that are made in China. M&S soaps/bubble bath are no longer on my shopping list. Shocked at M&S allowing this.

M&S started producing clothes in China and buying clothing from Chinese factories in 2008
It’s nothing new.

The only thing I've bought from America, some hot dog mustard, marshmallow fluff.
I wouldn't deliberately not buy anything, who does it hurt, not Trump, but ordinary folk working to produce such goods.
This is all rather silly. Should look closer to home to damage being done here, inflation up to 3%!, freedoms being eroded subtly. America voted for Trump. We can do nothing. So please don't moan when they rail against our Gov. Tit for tat. They can do nothing here either!!

Also surprised at the amount of toiletries that are made in China. M&S soaps/bubble bath are no longer on my shopping list. Shocked at M&S allowing this.

I was horrified to discover how many Ikea products are made in China. I think I had been going round their stores with my eyes closed as in my ignorance, I thought they sold Swedish products!

petra

We have bought a British made washing machine. An Ebac.

Just bought an Ebac dehumidifier! We wanted to buy British if possible. Never regretted our decision to buy a hot-and-cold fill Ebac washing machine a few years ago. We have a solar panel which heats our water in sunny weather, so didn't want just a cold fill one. Ebac seemed at the time to be the only affordable manufacturer of hot-and-cold fill machines.

Good post Casdon. I don't have a need to buy much these days and I have promised myself to not buy myself any clothes this year, but if I do have to make a purchase I shall make due consideration to its origin. And I absolutely refuse to buy from Temu or Shein.

I buy some of my clothes from Community Clothing. British made and yes, a little bit more expensive but excellent quality.
As previous posters have stated, it’s not easy buying British, but I am trying to look for British or European if at all possible.

Even in the 80s my parents did their best not to buy anything from the Coutries in WW2 who they thought were unnecessarily harsh to people - I dont need to list them.

But it became almost impossible. Especially electronics.
And that was the 80s. 4 decades ago.