Hardcore nationalist protesters are to hold a demonstration outside the headquarters of biscuit maker Tunnock’s, after the firm announced plans for new Union Jack branding in a bid to break the lucrative Japanese teacake market.
It’s the second time serial separatist agitators the Scottish Resistance have taken umbrage against the Uddingston wafer establishment.
Last year the caramel log and snowball maker, who employ 550 workers in their Uddingston chocolate factory, upset the Resistance after a London Underground advert described the teatime favourite as “The Great British Tea Cake”.
Earlier this week, the company’s export manager, Alan Burnett, told The Times that new packaging, designed after picking up orders for two million biscuits, would play up to Japanese passion for British goods.
Burnett said: “The branding is different and, as you would expect, the writing is all in Japanese. However, it does have the Tunnock’s boy on it. You would recognise it instantly.”
He added: “Our products really seem to be really taking off over there. Last month we sent a 40ft container, containing around 650,000 biscuits, out to Japan. We have arranged for another to go out in September and a further delivery for December.”
Sean Clerkin from the protest group called the company's latest move an attempt to “downgrade Scottish identity”.
On the group’s Facebook page, he called for anyone else outraged by the change in biscuit wrapper to join him and others next Thursday. “We are asking all those that are Scottish patriots to join us to protest against Boyd Tunnock, Tory unionist, who has decided to get rid of all Scottish identification on Tunnock’s exports to the Far East, putting the butcher’s apron on its products and stating Great Britain instead of Scotland,” he wrote.
The Resistance didn’t find much local support at last year’s protest, with workers and passers by heckling the three campaigners who turned out for the picket of the biscuit factory.
Tunnock’s say business boomed following the controversy, with a 10 per cent spike in sales in traditionally quiet January.
Tunnock’s say their success in Japan was in part down to a Scottish Government grant which allowed them to take part in an exhibition in Tokyo.
Not all tea cake eating independence supporters were put off by the change in branding, comedian Darren Connell tweeted: “Putting a Union Jack on tunnock's tea cakes isn't going to stop me eating them, I would eat them if dog sh*te was on them they are that good”
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