Scotch whisky could be among a number of iconic British foods put at risk by Brexit.

The nation’s favourite tipple could join Stornoway black pudding, Arbroath smokies and Melton Mowbray pork pies in being replaced by cheap knock-offs, campaigners have warned.

Ministers today announced plans to set up a new scheme to protect the geographical names of products from Britain’s food and drink manufacturers from fakes and imitations.

So-called “geographical indications” (GI), currently protected by the EU, include Jersey Royal potatoes and Stilton cheese.

Scotch whisky is one of the most valuable GIs in Europe. It was worth £4.4billion to the Scottish economy last year and is sold in about 200 markets across the world.

It accounts for more than 20 per cent of all UK food and drink exports. If it’s not distilled in Scotland, it’s not Scotch whisky.

But campaigners say the new plan has a “massive Brexit black hole” because it will be policed by local authority trading standards officers.

Stornoway black pudding is another 'geographical indications' product under threat from Brexit

The council-run bodies have seen their budgets slashed by 50 per cent, from £213million in 2009 to £105million in 2018. The number of enforcement officers was cut by 56 per cent in the same period.

A Defra spokeswoman said the plan includes a new “civil sanctions regime”, which will allow local authorities to recover the costs of enforcement action.

Currently, food and drink manufacturers in the EU, including those in the UK, can protect their product names under EU
regulations.

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The rules ensure countries comply with the World Trade Organisation’s agreement on trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights.

It ensures the 86 GIs – which include 76 agricultural and food products and five wines, and five spirits – are protected from imitation.

If Britain crashes out without a deal, ministers say a new system will be set up to “broadly mirror” the existing EU system.

A Defra spokeswoman said: “It is completely untrue to suggest that we are not protecting UK products as we leave the EU.

“Local authorities are already responsible for making sure that product labelling is accurate and, in fact, we’re making it easier for them to enforce these rules.”