MADE with bitter Sevilla oranges, it’s famous as the favourite preserve of iconic children’s literature character Paddington Bear.
But jars of marmalade will soon look very different on UK supermarket shelves following the implementation of a new post-Brexit food deal.
Under the agreement, the fruity spread will have to be sold as ‘citrus marmalade’, with the British government moving to align more closely with European Union rules in a bid to boost trade and cut red tape.
The change comes as Brussels pushes ahead with plans to broaden the legal definition of marmalade across the bloc.
Previously, only preserves made from citrus fruits could be sold as ‘marmalade’, with other kinds of fruit spread labelled as ‘jam’.
That was the result of British lobbying in the 1970s to grant marmalade cut from Sevilla oranges a special commercial status.
But the distinction has long caused widespread confusion across Europe, including in Spain where the term ‘mermelada’ is used to describe spreads made from a range of different fruits, including figs and plums.
READ MORE: Can I eat oranges from trees that are planted in streets and towns across Spain?
From June, Brussels will allow member states to market non-citrus spreads as ‘marmalade’, with the updated decree among 76 EU food-related laws that the UK will absorb once a food deal is officially agreed.
To conform with international norms, citrus-based conserves, such as those made with Sevilla oranges, will need to be sold under the separate legal name of ‘citrus marmalade’.
A timescale for implementation of the rule change is yet to be confirmed.
A spokesperson for the UK government said: “British marmalade is not changing – it will still be the same product available in our shops as it is now.
“British manufacturers align with international standards to ensure our world-class produce can be sold to a larger international market.
“Our deal with the EU supports businesses by removing the costly red tape that holds back our exporters from our largest trading partner.
“Crucially, our agreement secures the UK’s ability to shape the rules that affect our industry in the national interest.”
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