Country of origin marking: The consumer's view

Patriotism, whilst not exactly outmoded, is less important for consumers in buying goods than other factors such as price and value for money, according to a recent survey carried out for the National Consumer Council. They are also concerned about service — how long a product is likely to last, how much it will cost to run, and the availability of spare parts. The Council's view is that further legislation about origin marking should be given no greater priority, so far as consumers' interests are concerned, than other types of information labelling which may be more directly valuable to consumers.