Talks under way that could allow online shoppers to only buy British produce

'Buy British' button could let online shoppers filter out foreign groceries
'Buy British' button could let online shoppers filter out foreign groceries

Talks are under way that could allow online grocery shoppers to only buy British products, farming minister George Eustice has said.

Mr Eustice said he was talking to the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) about a radical new online labelling system for food.

The comments came during a Westminster Hall debate on the future of food labelling.

Conservative MP Rebecca Pow (Taunton Deane) said: "I would like to raise the subject of labelling on online shopping, because often if one wants to shop online one doesn't know whether it's British food or not.

"Would there be a way that we could consider having a button to press when you do your online shop so that you can just choose from British produce? Surely that's really going to help us as we leave the EU?"

Fellow Tory Julian Sturdy (York Outer), who led the debate, said: "I applaud that and I think it's an excellent idea, and I hope the minister certainly takes that point on board."

Meanwhile, speaking at the recent launch of the Institute of Financial Accountant's (IFA) policy paper on Brexit, Chief Economist, Rowena Dwyer said that the entire EU beef market could be adversely affected, if Irish beef exports to the UK are displaced.

“There are concerns that the EU market will not be able to cope with the additional supply of beef, if Irish exports to the UK are displaced,” she said.