When Made in Germany actually means Made in Germany

I read the latest Monocle magazine (Issue 20, p 73) and was struck by an article on Parchim airport. It seems this airport has been taken over by Chinese logistics firm LinkGlobal, with an aim to turn it into a major cargo hub for Europe. There are plans for a business park where Chinese items will be assembled and labelled "Made in Germany".

This is a personal irritation for me. I know some companies use this trick to get around trade embargoes or where political sensitivity is circumnavigated.

There is also a version of this in the world of airline code-sharing. You book a flight with an airline you trust/like/enjoy, then end up on a 'partner airline' instead.

As many industries are having to re-build trust from the floor up (cars, banks, even countries), such nonsense has to go.

If a product says MADE IN GERMANY, then it is MADE there. If a whole range of countries are involved in the process, that's ok, but just don't pretend that this hasn't happened.

Fred Perry and John Smedley are brands I love. They both promise on their labels that their products are MADE IN ENGLAND. When they are not, as in the case of various ranges from Fred Perry, they say so. Perfect. I know where I stand. More than I can say for many other brands.