Keir Starmer's UK government is pursuing greater regulatory alignment with the EU, requiring the traditional Seville orange 'marmalade' to be renamed 'citrus marmalade'. The BBC recently reported this measure, which eases trade but changes an iconic British name. The shift aligns with post-Brexit EU rules.
The BBC reported a few days ago that, as part of the 'dynamic alignment' with Brussels promoted by Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer, British companies must label traditional Seville orange marmalade as 'citrus marmalade' to sell in the EU. Starmer's government has been working for two years to mitigate Brexit damage by aligning agro-food and phytosanitary regulations to ease trade.
In the 1970s, upon joining the European Economic Community, the UK pushed for 'marmalade' to refer only to citrus preserves, particularly bitter Seville oranges. Brussels relaxed this rule in 2004, allowing the term for other fruits in various regions. Post-Brexit, the UK reverts to the general EU standard.
Brands like Frank Cooper’s continue using 'Oxford Marmalade', a James Bond favorite and British household staple. Marmalade holds deep cultural significance: in 2022, during Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee, she shared a marmalade sandwich with Paddington Bear in an official video.
The news has sparked skepticism and irritation among some Conservatives, but little broader controversy in a Brexit-weary country.