Buy British Says Sharon

3.00.43pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 26th Sep 2007

A Sussex Gamekeeper shows Sharon some of her quail, ready to be sold.

The South East's Lib Dem MEP Sharon Bowles is urging people to "buy British" this week. Sharon is lending her support to the "British Food Fortnight", organised by a large coalition of groups associated with food production in Britain.

Our region produces several foods that are protected by Europe to safeguard their integrity, and recognise their excellence. In the South East these include Farmfresh Turkeys, Whitstable Oysters and Kentish Ales. It is this kind of high quality local produce that the Food Fortnight hopes to raise awareness of.

Sharon Bowles said "British food can be absolutely delicious, and I am delighted to support this campaign to encourage and educate consumers. It is all too easy in the supermarket to pick up your packet of pork chops, without looking for the information on the label to tell you where it was produced."

"In Britain we have some of the highest standards of meat production in the world. Buying British fruits and vegetables as they come into season gives you the freshest possible produce, packed with vitamins, and is kinder to the environment than buying fruit and veg flown half-way around the world."

For more about British Food Fortnight, visit www.britishfoodfortnight.co.uk