3 ms·

I seem to recall the latter being expected, that the UK would drop regulations on imports, leading to low-quality American foodstuffs (corn syrup) flooding the

I seem to recall the latter being expected, that the UK would drop regulations on imports, leading to low-quality American foodstuffs (corn syrup) flooding the market

mcintyre1994 3y ago
I'm not convinced that's actually seen as a benefit by any government either though, because it'd be bad for UK companies that sell here and also export - which is what you want really. Those companies can't lower their standards to compete with lower quality imports without losing their export business.
- bemusedthrow75 3y ago
  The outcomes have already penalised exporters relative to importers. Exporting to the EU is hard: lots of standards checks. Importing from the EU is easy: whole categories of imports are left unchecked, because new rules aren't being enforced as a matter of policy, which is the only way we have food security, for example.
- tomatocracy 3y ago
  Protectionism often seems politically appealing because its beneficiaries are highly visible and benefits are concentrated amongst a few larger firms. The beneficiaries of cheaper imports and freer trade are usually greater in total but thinly spread out - everyone benefits a little bit. As such it wouldn't surprise me at all if both your perspective and GP's perspective are true - cheaper imports would be better for everyone but the government doesn't "want" them because they'd politically inconvenience a relatively small number of people very visibly.
Symbiote 3y ago
A Facebook ad caught my eye recently, as it was a British newspaper's "Least healthy breakfast cereal" and the picture was something I didn't recognize at all. I was then surprised to see American cereal is now sold in the UK, and it's packed with the colourings and additives British parents in the 1990s would have refused to have in the house. Pre-Brexit, "No artificial colours or flavours" could be pretty much assumed for all cereal sold in Britain, even the colourful, sugary ones. That's no longer the case. Example: https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/282819954 https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/282819954 Contains Tartrazine (E102)*, Sunset Yellow (E110)*, Brilliant Blue (E133), Allura Red (E129)* E102 — in the EU, not allowed in cereal E110 — allowed, although the UK government previously asked manufacturers to stop using this E133 — not easily determined from Wikipedia, although there's an example of British manufacturers stopping its use in the 2000s. E129 — allowed I think.
- bemusedthrow75 3y ago
  I was an awful, temperamental, argumentative child, and there were moments where my mood would be severely worse for no logical reason until I understood -- discovered for myself, in exasperation -- that both E102 and E110 actually triggered my bad moods. They were commonplace in drinks aimed at kids (Tizer for example) for years. Putting them in breakfast cereals is IMO mindblowingly irresponsible; the food producers know for sure (because the link has been established with little doubt) that tartrazine and sunset yellow worsen child behaviour.

I seem to recall the latter being expected, that the UK would drop regulations on imports, leading to low-quality American foodstuffs (corn syrup) flooding the market

mcintyre1994 3y ago

I'm not convinced that's actually seen as a benefit by any government either though, because it'd be bad for UK companies that sell here and also export - which is what you want really. Those companies can't lower their standards to compete with lower quality imports without losing their export business.

bemusedthrow75 3y ago
The outcomes have already penalised exporters relative to importers. Exporting to the EU is hard: lots of standards checks. Importing from the EU is easy: whole categories of imports are left unchecked, because new rules aren't being enforced as a matter of policy, which is the only way we have food security, for example.
tomatocracy 3y ago
Protectionism often seems politically appealing because its beneficiaries are highly visible and benefits are concentrated amongst a few larger firms. The beneficiaries of cheaper imports and freer trade are usually greater in total but thinly spread out - everyone benefits a little bit. As such it wouldn't surprise me at all if both your perspective and GP's perspective are true - cheaper imports would be better for everyone but the government doesn't "want" them because they'd politically inconvenience a relatively small number of people very visibly.

Symbiote 3y ago

A Facebook ad caught my eye recently, as it was a British newspaper's "Least healthy breakfast cereal" and the picture was something I didn't recognize at all. I was then surprised to see American cereal is now sold in the UK, and it's packed with the colourings and additives British parents in the 1990s would have refused to have in the house. Pre-Brexit, "No artificial colours or flavours" could be pretty much assumed for all cereal sold in Britain, even the colourful, sugary ones. That's no longer the case. Example: https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/282819954 https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/282819954 Contains Tartrazine (E102)*, Sunset Yellow (E110)*, Brilliant Blue (E133), Allura Red (E129)* E102 — in the EU, not allowed in cereal E110 — allowed, although the UK government previously asked manufacturers to stop using this E133 — not easily determined from Wikipedia, although there's an example of British manufacturers stopping its use in the 2000s. E129 — allowed I think.

bemusedthrow75 3y ago
I was an awful, temperamental, argumentative child, and there were moments where my mood would be severely worse for no logical reason until I understood -- discovered for myself, in exasperation -- that both E102 and E110 actually triggered my bad moods. They were commonplace in drinks aimed at kids (Tizer for example) for years. Putting them in breakfast cereals is IMO mindblowingly irresponsible; the food producers know for sure (because the link has been established with little doubt) that tartrazine and sunset yellow worsen child behaviour.