Why smoky bacon crisps threaten to reignite rows over EU rules

详细摘要

A post-Brexit deal on food standards has raised questions over the future naming of the classic British snack.

The naming of smoky bacon-flavoured crisps has become the latest political headache to emerge from the government's bid for closer ties with the EU.

The government is negotiating a deal on food standards in a bid to cut costs for British companies trading with Europe.

Labour ministers have been keen to talk up the potential economic benefits of the agreement, which could be announced at a summit later this month.

But the deal's requirement for Britain to adopt EU food rules in a wide range of areas has threatened to reignite sovereignty debates from the Brexit era.

Labour ministers have been keen to sidestep talking about the impact of alignment in particular sectors, instead stressing the overall economic boost it expects the food deal to bring.

On Thursday, Environment Secretary Angela Eagle told a radio presenter he should "get a life" when he asked about the potential impact of the new rules on snacks, such as smoky bacon crisps.

But it highlights the political dangers for the government of realigning with regulations that British politicians have not been able to shape, with the Conservatives and Reform UK keen to pounce on cases showing Britain to be a "rule taker" from Brussels.

It is not the first regulatory skirmish over smoky bacon crisps - following previous headlines over how the well-loved British flavour could be affected by an EU decision in 2024 to phase out a number of artificial smoke flavourings.

Now, the flavour name itself has been called into question by a separate EU attempt to restrict how descriptions of meat are used to market food.

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