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Your support makes all the difference.As political campaigns go, Stephen Byers' tilt against "rip-off Britain" seems a sure fire vote winner. But as Kingfisher's Sir Geoff Mulcahy inconveniently pointed out last week, the problem lies as much with manufacturers as retailers. If the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry is serious about getting to grips with excessive prices, then for every vote he garners from a disgruntled shopper, he risks losing one from an unemployed manufacturing worker.
The ambivalence at the heart of the Government's stance was highlighted again yesterday in its response to the Trade and Industry Select Committee's report on designer-label goods - an area where the rip-offs are exposed in their starkest form.
Tesco and, to a lesser extent Asda, have been waging a guerrilla war against the likes of Levi Strauss and Calvin Klein for almost three years, selling an consignment of 501s here and a lorry load of designer underpants there at prices which make the branded goods manufacturers break out in a cold sweat.
Thus far the European Court of Justice has upheld the rights of manufacturers to dictate who may or may not sell their products under the protection of trademark law. The select committee has come up with a simple if not original solution. Once a manufacturer has sold his goods to a supplier, wherever in the world that may be, why not allow the retailer to purchase those goods for import into the European Union and sell them at whatever price allows him to make a margin?
It is easy to see why the branded goods manufacturers throw their hands up in horror at such a suggestion; at a stroke it would undermine the price at which they sell their products through their own distribution chains.
As for Mr Byers, he is content to wring his hands. Jolly good idea in principle but the legal position is murky, not to mention the particular problems presented by goods like records and medicines. Leave it with us old boy and we will make sure Britain continues to play an active part in discussions within the European Community.
Levi 501s are the thin end of a very fat wedge which could ultimately see all manner of goods tumbling in price with dire consequences for the manufacturing base. As Mr Byers is discovering, political slogans come cheap, but remedies often carry a heavy price.
Outlook@independent.co.uk
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