UK in bid to crackdown on sales of fake Scotch

Published on 16/11/2012 02:29

A DISCUSSION about a crackdown on the selling of fake Scotch whisky in China has taken place between Chinese 
officials and the UK.

More than £66 million worth of whisky was sold in China last year but joint Chinese and British operations have found 300 cases of imitations, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said.

An agreement was reached with China in 2010 that only whisky produced in Scotland can be marketed as Scotch to Chinese consumers.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson met Chinese trading standards authorities in Guangdong yesterday to thank them for working with the Scotch Whisky Association and the UK Government.

He said: “British products are clearly associated with the highest quality and food safety standards here in China.

“I’m here to protect and grow the £20 billion British food and drink export industry.

“In the last year, over 300 cases of fake Scotch whisky were investigated by Britain and China.

“The support of the Chinese authorities in clamping down on illegal activity which costs UK companies millions of pounds is hugely important.”

Mr Paterson is currently leading Britain’s food trade delegation to China, helping more than 40 companies to break into the Chinese market.