Gransnet forums

News & politics

«U turn if you want to» Foie gras but not marmalade?

(112 Posts)
RosiesMawagain Mon 06-Apr-26 07:24:29

It appears U-turn Keir may be poised to about-turn on his manifesto pledge to ban foie gras and fur imports in an attempt to secure a trade deal with the EU. Ministers are reportedly considering an about-turn on the pledge, which Labour made in opposition on animal welfare grounds.
Officials are engaged in trade talks on food standards with Brussels, which are set to be finalised ahead of a summit in June or July. The trade talks come as part of Sir Keir’s wider “reset” with the EU, which includes a food and drink standards deal announced last year and closer alignment on energy and carbon markets .
Brussels has demanded Britain drop its opposition to foie gras, most of which is produced in France by force-feeding ducks and geese to artificially enlarge their livers. Under the terms Sir Keir is pursuing with the EU, Britain would be required to secure a special exemption from Brussels to continue with a ban, because European states are not allowed to ban each others’ food on animal welfare grounds. Sources close to the discussions told The Guardian that it was likely the UK would instead abandon the pledge to secure concessions in other areas

In the meantime, we have to swallow (no pun intended) the renaming of marmalade as citrus marmalade
Isn’t that tautology? If it was any other fruit it would be JAM. (Duh!)

Beans12 Sun 19-Apr-26 18:35:45

Allira

Beans12

Fois Gras is an abomination-just vile.When I learnt that Princess Kate was a fan, I went right off her-not that I was that keen before, she's very two-faced, all this finding peace in nature, but enjoying shooting poor birds as a hobby-she's not "kind and caring" at all.

Who is "Princess Kate" 🤔
Is she a foreign Princess because no members of our Royal Family are called by that name. Or from a Disney film, perhaps?

Oh, sorry (not!) Allira, I'm sure you know perfectly well who she is, but let me confirm for you, William's wifey! Who tells us all how she's at one with nature, and we should be too, but then proceeds to show her kiddies what a good shot she is, as she blasts some hapless, unfortunate birds-are they not part of her world of nature then?-full of lead-or maybe she sticks to unleaded shots, can't have her being accused of hypocricey now, can we!

Namsnanny Sat 11-Apr-26 10:43:21

When news stories like this come about, it always makes me wonder what is happening in the world that we (the media) are not paying enough attention to.

MartavTaurus Thu 09-Apr-26 22:12:23

I seem to remember the King banning Foie Gras from the Royal kitchens a long time ago.
That is correct.

Elsewhere, Monsieur Macron popped across to Japan last week, and apparently he was armed with a note from the chief foie gras President, (yes, there is one!), to win back the Japanese market! They are by far the main export market. It was expected he would ask for the avian flu ban of 2023 to be lifted.
Well that's what I'm getting from French news here, but I'm not sure what the outcome was?

Deedaa Thu 09-Apr-26 15:16:51

We were in Italy one Easter and got chatting to a Milanese doctor. We told him we were going to drive over to Verona on Easter Monday and he told us to watch out for the marmalades. When he saw us looking a bit blank he said "Oh no! It's jam in English isn't it?"

I seem to remember the King banning Foie Gras from the Royal kitchens a long time ago.

sundowngirl Thu 09-Apr-26 12:55:50

I am in favour of an outright ban to all imports and sales of Foie Gras in the U.K.

I totally agree.

GrannyGravy13 Thu 09-Apr-26 10:41:46

I really cannot be fussed over marmalade labels.

I am in favour of an outright ban to all imports and sales of Foie Gras in the U.K.

It is already illegal to produce it here.

twaddle Thu 09-Apr-26 09:53:31

Cossy

I simply cannot believe that by tying marmalade to Paddington Bear, a fictional children’s character, then to our late Queen, people are expecting others to take them even in the slightest bit seriously!

They are not asking us to ditch marmalade, hang Paddington and forget all our dear late Queen.

Please do get a grip!

It really is the most pathetic non-story!

As far as I can work out, when the UK was in the EU, it objected to other countries calling their jams "marmalade" (or something similar) and claimed the word should only be used for citrus jams. When the UK left the EU, other countries could do what they wanted to do in the first place. Germans call all jams "Marmelade" and I think some other countries do too.

The UK can hardly expect other countries to reverse its changes just because the UK has now decided that it was a mistake to cut all ties.

As others have said, most marmalade in the UK is preceded by the name of the fruit (orange, lime, grapefruit, etc) anyway.

MaizieD Thu 09-Apr-26 09:47:17

Cossy

NotSpaghetti

Fallingstar - whilst I agree that animal husbandry is poor, the bulking injections have been banned in the UK and the European Union, for decades.

This practice (often using hormones or specific antibiotics) is still common in other parts of the world though - especially the US - and I think still widespread in Australia (but would have to check that).

Which is precisely why many of did not wish to do food trades with the USA

Not to mention chlorinated chicken, of course.

US animal husbandry being so poor that chicken carcasses have to be disinfected with chlorine before they can be sold. Despite this, the US has a much higher incidence of food poisoning than does the UK. We discussed this whole topic quite extensively a few years ago when a post Brexit trade deal with the US looked like a possibility...

Cossy Thu 09-Apr-26 09:32:38

NotSpaghetti

Fallingstar - whilst I agree that animal husbandry is poor, the bulking injections have been banned in the UK and the European Union, for decades.

This practice (often using hormones or specific antibiotics) is still common in other parts of the world though - especially the US - and I think still widespread in Australia (but would have to check that).

Which is precisely why many of did not wish to do food trades with the USA

Cossy Thu 09-Apr-26 09:31:55

I simply cannot believe that by tying marmalade to Paddington Bear, a fictional children’s character, then to our late Queen, people are expecting others to take them even in the slightest bit seriously!

They are not asking us to ditch marmalade, hang Paddington and forget all our dear late Queen.

Please do get a grip!

NotSpaghetti Thu 09-Apr-26 08:14:55

Fallingstar - whilst I agree that animal husbandry is poor, the bulking injections have been banned in the UK and the European Union, for decades.

This practice (often using hormones or specific antibiotics) is still common in other parts of the world though - especially the US - and I think still widespread in Australia (but would have to check that).

Mollygo Wed 08-Apr-26 23:29:15

MayBee70
Wasn’t it Johnson that made up the bendy banana stuff?
BJ may well have used it.

However, the actual EEC Regulation
No 2257/94 (often called the "bendy banana law") was passed in 1994.

Basgetti Wed 08-Apr-26 23:18:56

Oreo

It doesn’t bother me, as long as it’s clear which fruit is used, Seville oranges being the best.
In Portugal marmalade is made from quinces and is disgusting😱

Our first home together in 1988 was a Georgian terrace in SE1, London. Tiny courtyard garden but the most magnificent quince tree, trained up and outwards on the rear wall. Must have been original to the house, thick trunk and branches. My husband made beautiful quince jelly. One of the things that reeled me in, great cook 😁

MaizieD Wed 08-Apr-26 23:11:18

As it is, the new rule is not that drastic, it just has to say 'citrus marmelade' on jars of the preserve we call marmelade.

It’s been pointed out several times on this thread that many UK brands of marmalade already have a descriptor as part of their ‘name’. Which makes the fuss about this even more idiotic because we already do it grin

M0nica Wed 08-Apr-26 22:33:18

sundowngirl

Britain was in the EU for decades before Brexit and they didn't object to our marmalade during that time. Why are they being very petty now?

Times and rules evolve. If you are going to have a free trade area then the rules and definitions have to be the same throughout, and if another country, like the UK ,are trying to muscle in and cherrypick the bits they want to join, they have just got to accept what the others say because they have chosen to withdraw and no longer have any say in the rules.

So if, for example, the EU as a whole decides that every fruit preserve of every kind in a jar is to be called 'marmalade' then all the UK can do is do as it is told or get out. As it is, the new rule is not that drastic, it just has to say 'citrus marmelade' on jars of the preserve we call marmelade. Storm in a dolls teacup.

Cossy Wed 08-Apr-26 20:36:26

MaizieD

I don't think it's togue in cheek at all, it's either an attempt to give Brexiters a completely spurious grievance to nurture division.

In Johnson's case, it was a bit of a laugh because he was bored with being 'Brussels correspondent' for whatever paper he was writing for and made up all sorts of mendacious stories to amuse himself. Lies he then weaponised them in the run up to the referendum...

You know what, if all people have to worry about is whether we can keep the word marmalade on our jars of various concoctions of spreads on which we can spread on our toast and put in our sandwiches, then you’re very lucky indeed.

Meanwhile, back in the real world…….

MaizieD Wed 08-Apr-26 20:32:14

Apologies for bad editing in my post blush

MaizieD Wed 08-Apr-26 20:30:52

I don't think it's togue in cheek at all, it's either an attempt to give Brexiters a completely spurious grievance to nurture division.

In Johnson's case, it was a bit of a laugh because he was bored with being 'Brussels correspondent' for whatever paper he was writing for and made up all sorts of mendacious stories to amuse himself. Lies he then weaponised them in the run up to the referendum...

Cossy Wed 08-Apr-26 20:21:09

valdavi

The trouble is, it was all this negative press about things like labelling, & bendy bananas, etc, that was probably tongue-in-cheek by the press at the time, that led to the negative connotations of the EU, which didn't help when we had a referendum.
People thought we could go back to the red-tape free 1970's when in reality the world had changed & you can never go back (& in many ways, who would want to?)

Exactly!

MayBee70 Wed 08-Apr-26 19:45:28

valdavi

The trouble is, it was all this negative press about things like labelling, & bendy bananas, etc, that was probably tongue-in-cheek by the press at the time, that led to the negative connotations of the EU, which didn't help when we had a referendum.
People thought we could go back to the red-tape free 1970's when in reality the world had changed & you can never go back (& in many ways, who would want to?)

Wasn’t it Johnson that made up the bendy banana stuff?

valdavi Wed 08-Apr-26 19:28:03

The trouble is, it was all this negative press about things like labelling, & bendy bananas, etc, that was probably tongue-in-cheek by the press at the time, that led to the negative connotations of the EU, which didn't help when we had a referendum.
People thought we could go back to the red-tape free 1970's when in reality the world had changed & you can never go back (& in many ways, who would want to?)

MaizieD Wed 08-Apr-26 16:07:07

Menopauselbitch

Just another instance of our Prime Minister being weak. Changing the name of Marmalade saddens me especially because of the connection to Paddington Bear and our late Queen.

The name of marmalade isn't being changed.

It will just need a description of what type of marmalade it is.

Which loads of marmalades sold in the UK have already.

Though I've no doubt you will completely ignore the truth and carry on believing nonsense...

Cossy Wed 08-Apr-26 16:01:26

It does make me sigh, 🙄🙄. Yes the Common Market, was simply that, a common trading market.

It evolved over time, as did we all. We were never “ruled” by the EU, because we had voted in MEPs to represent our interests (Mr Farage! Remember him? He off the massive MEP pension pot yet failing to turn up when required to vote)
We also had the ability to veto, as we did with both the Euro and the EU Army.

We paid a lot, however we got so much in return.

We left, it cost us a fortune, we got nothing in return!

We cannot re-join just the bits we want, we cannot access the benefits of a “club” with the requisite joining fees.

Yes, we can attempt to trade and we should continue to do so, but in this climate the EU is about so much more than just trade.

Cossy Wed 08-Apr-26 15:54:00

Maremia

Labels are changed lots of times on other products for marketing purposes. If it tastes the same, I am not bothered,

👍👍👏👏👏👏👏👏

sundowngirl Wed 08-Apr-26 15:48:42

Britain was in the EU for decades before Brexit and they didn't object to our marmalade during that time. Why are they being very petty now?