Consumers to be encouraged to buy British with "Made in UK" day

Consumers are being encouraged to buy British-made products with the first Made in UK Day to be held on 9 March.

The initiative is being led by Make it British, a community of UK-made brands and manufacturers, which was founded by ex-retail fashion buyer Kate Hills on 9 March 2011.

Since its launch 10 years ago, the Make it British site has been visited by more than 6.5m people looking to buy UK-made products and search for UK manufacturers. This year alone has seen a 68% increase in enquiries since the UK left the EU’s single market and customs union.

Hills said: “It has never been more important to buy products that are made in the UK and support local manufacturing. By pledging to buy products that are made in the UK you are lowering your carbon footprint, saving essential skills, helping local economies and creating job opportunities.

"We want everyone to get behind Made in UK Day to celebrate the wonderful makers that we have in the UK.” 

Consumers can get involved in the campaign by pledging to buy something that is made in the UK on 9 March and asking their favourite brands and retailers what, if anything, that they sell is made in the UK.

They are also being encouraged to share pictures of products that they have bought, or own, that are made in the UK on social media using the hashtag #madeinukday.

Meanwhile businesses that make in the UK are being asked to share stories about the people that work in UK manufacturing, also using the hashtag #madeinukday, to help consumers find UK-made products to buy.

UK manufacturing is currently worth £192bn to the UK economy and employs 2.7m people. More than 65m people live in the UK and if everyone bought just one item made in the UK worth £20 on Made in UK Day it would be worth £1.3bn, Make it British has said.