Cheese

[teamsaint]

The only reason many of the cheeses we love survive is because of protected status
Cantal being a prime example

Sadly the UK was far too late in getting protection and we have lost many
when anyone can produce fake cheese in a big factory and call it what they like many of our small producers will disappear
Same goes for the smokie producers of Arbroath et al

Sad days ahead i'm afraid

markets are very complex, and distorted.

Protected status is of course just one possible factor in the survival of small UK businesses.

Another factor they have to deal with is tarrifs on exports outside the EU.

If we publish a book that is good or sells well, people copy it. Sometimes very big publishers who can afford to subsidise their new book in some way, or support it with massive marketing spend.
Then we have to think of something else to publish. So it goes.

[MrGongGong]

markets are very complex, and distorted.

Protected status is of course just one possible factor in the survival of small UK businesses.

Another factor they have to deal with is tarrifs on exports outside the EU.

If we publish a book that is good or sells well, people copy it. Sometimes very big publishers who can afford to subsidise their new book in some way, or support it with massive marketing spend.
Then we have to think of something else to publish. So it goes.

If anyone in the world can make a piano and put a Steinway logo on it then the people who make the real ones will go out of business.
Anyone in the world can (sadly) make crap cheese and call it cheddar which bears no relation at all to the real thing
IF we are to protect things which we think are of value then we need to make sure they aren't stolen by spivs

Conflating success with expansion is a mistake
What we do in the UK really well is small scale individual things
Bristol Cars, Arbroath Smokies, HCMF etc etc

Making fake things is one way of making money (or filling the West End with "musicals" hey "Lord" Webber) but I think we could and should do better.

[teamsaint]

Businesses have various ways to protect themselves, including laws on copying products, intellectual property etc etc.

Unfortunately, the venture capitalists who own the business I work for ( and thousands of similar businesses) do "conflate expansion with success", and I don't think I'll be able to persuade them otherwise.

[jean]

Sadly the UK was far too late in getting protection and we have lost many
when anyone can produce fake cheese in a big factory and call it what they like many of our small producers will disappear

Our original small producers disappeared many years ago.

But now we have a whole new lot, and they give new names to the cheeses they produce. I don't think we need to worry about them.

[Beef Oven!]

Our original small producers disappeared many years ago.

But now we have a whole new lot, and they give new names to the cheeses they produce. I don't think we need to worry about them.

Need to get some new fair-trade ones from overseas.