There was, admittedly, a rather harsh edit in relation to our experiences with the iCandy brand and their promoting themselves as a British company within our feature on The One Show. We were concerned that this particular section of the film might suggest that iCandy were out to deliberately mislead. We are sure that is not the case. They are a fine British owned company with a great product. However, we personally did find their promotional material confusing enough that we had to call them (twice) to finally verify that their products are actually made in China. It was apparent that others (including a recent Which? Review*) were also somewhat confused about the origin of their manufacture.
Today we received the following statement from iCandy themselves:
Following 27th February’s The One Show, iCandy would like to re-affirm its status as a British company and brand. With over 80 years of experience within the British manufacturing industry, iCandy is extremely proud of its longstanding British heritage.
During the 1990’s, the decision was made to re-locate the iCandy factories to China due to the economic climate. Although products are currently manufactured in China, all iCandy products are proudly and uniquely designed and engineered in the UK by our British design team. All of our British manufacturing experience is implemented ourselves through our own British directed iCandy China team.
iCandy has made the conscious decision not to be sold online, choosing instead to support British independent retailers by driving the British consumer in to British speciality stores.
As the British consumer continues to invest in, and purchase Dutch, American, Italian, Polish, Canadian & Scandinavian stroller brands, manufacturing in the UK has become increasingly more difficult. However, iCandy’s aspiration for the future is very much to bring British manufacturing back to the UK- the more people that buy British the more this will be possible.
We commend iCandy for getting in touch with us in an attempt to clarify the situation. However, we find that their obvious desire to relocate the Britain leaves us with more questions to ask.
- How committed are iCandy really to bringing manufacturing back to the UK and within what time frame?
- What are the current logistical/economic barriers to iCandy moving back?
- Are there other companies with a similar desire the move back to the UK and what are the government doing to help them?
- Would iCandy be willing to test the market for a British made product by relocating production of just one line back to the UK?
We know that there are many in this country that would welcome iCandy moving their manufacturing back to the UK and I am sure that we in Britain would unanimously support them with our cash!
We thank iCandy for their honest feedback but we would value a little bit more information so that we can help them bring their manufacturing home to Britain.
We will see what we can do to get more answers but we would love to hear your views.
* http://www.which.co.uk/news/2012/01/which-unveils-the-most-popular-pushchairs-275207/ “iCandy offers a lot of flexibility within its range of travel system pushchairs and makes a lot of fuss about them being made in Britain.”
This is a true reflection on the state(decline) of our manufacturing industry in the UK.
Actually, I read it more positively than that. I see it as a sign of a growing desire by many British companies to bring manufacturing back home. Let’s support them to do just that!
In a funny way this is actually very positive. If this can worked out and consumer demand can be matched to their desire to bring back the manufacture we are on to a winner. The economic side is also working in our favour as well as the relative difference in costs of manufacture is being eliminated and already has for certain products. Keep up the great work and I hope you and Icandy can work together to make this happen. Consumer demand is the key and you are certainly doing your bit on that front.
To highlight your point Hayter, who make lawnmowers, decided a little while ago to move production back to the UK from China. I’ve just rung them to check and they did fulfil that promise: all of their Harrier range are made in the UK. In addition, they are moving another one of their ranges back to the UK. So I believe that a number of companies do recognise a desire from us (the consumers) to buy British-made and act accordingly. If we can show companies that there is a market for British-made then we change the dynamics of the current situation so that manufacturing abroad is the exception and not the norm.
I don’t think that even the most idealistic of us believe that all British manufacturing can be re-shored, but I think what would be great is that consumers are given the choice. Some people are financially unable to make choices, but those of us who are and are both willing and able to pay a little extra to buy UK manufactured goods should be given the opportunity. This way we can get more people back to work, create apprentice opportunities for our school and college leavers and provide a means for these people to buy British, too. It is a virtuous circle. Consumers of course have a role to play in this by making their demands known, but we need the manufacturers to take note and respond. It can only work if both are involved – it is a partnership based upon mutual values and interests. Arise the activist consumer!
You’re right, it can only work with both the consumer and manufacturers being aware of each others needs. I think the UK suffered from a generation that was aware of the British Leyland saga and so “Made in Britain” for many people was no longer synonymous with quality. The tide seems to be turning once more; the BBC News reported on Friday (see the Kimwetu tweets) that Barbour have had considerable success in Asian markets because products made here have a certain cachet. Made in the UK is now being equated with quality and prestige. We now need for the British consumer to realise that too and then to be given the choice – something that we’re happy to do with our website, but there is still more to do.
I read a while ago that an Essex Garden Furniture company was planning to bring their manufacturing back to the UK from China because of growing costs in Asia but I don’t know if they were successful http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/9095074.LOUGHTON__New_factory_could_create_100_new_jobs/?ref=rss
I SEE THIS AS THE USUAL REPLY FROM BRITISH BUSINESS OWNERS, WHO ARE LOATHE TO HONESTLY INVOLVE ALL THEIR STAFF AND TREAT THEM AS TRUE PARTNERS THAT THEY ARE. THIS THEN GIVES BUSINESS THE EXCUSE NOT TO SHARE ANY OF THE PROFITS OF MANUFACTURE.WHICH HAS BEEN THE CASE SINCE THE MID 1960’S WHEN BRITISH MANUFACTURERS DECIDED THEY WOULD NOT FOREGO THERE HUGE PROFITS AND GIVE DECENT CONDITIONS AND PAY TO THE BRITISH WORKFORCE.
MY PARENTS LIKE MILLIONS HAD TO WORK HARD LONG HOURS DURING THE
1920′ TO 1950’S BEFORE THEY GOT ANYTHING LIKE A LIVING WAGE IN THE U.K. DESPITE BUSINESS MAKE HUGE PROFITS.
usual problem, always want a share of any profits but not any losses !
To be fair though British companies that do manufacture here in the UK do in my experience treat employees very well these days. There is a lot of pride in the factories I have visited and the people I know who work in . Of course a great longterm strategy would be to move to more employee ownership companies which are demonstrably more sucessfull.
There is a certain inevitability about growing costs in the Asian markets. They have a massive population which will grow with the wealth created by their successful exports, but that then creates more people with greater expectations of what they and their future generations need/want. This causes an increase in wages which is off-set by higher product prices. So, these products are less attractive to importers such as us. The Chinese answer to this is to increase demand for products in their home economies – as seen on the Evan Davis series “Made in Britain”. This is essentially what projects such as this or websites like Kimwetu.com are trying to do – increase the purchase of products that are made in the UK and relinquish the reliance on exports.
We regularly receive offers from Asian companies wanting to manufacture our products. It would save us hours upon hours of work every day BUT we stand by our decision to keep our manufacture well and truly in England.
If British consumers want to buy British then they should support British manufacturers not be price led. At tinyeco.com we may not be cheaper than importers but we are proud of the quality of our products- all made in England.
It would be great if icandy come back to Britain but do you honestly believe they will?
The more I read this blog and the comments, the more I can see there is to ‘Buy British’ out there. I was brought up to believe ‘British made = Quality products’. Indie retail shops are having a real hard time at the moment, but in the current UK climate would there be a desire to support an outlet that sold purely ‘British made’ products? Love to hear your opinions.
You may be interested to hear that we have just today, 15th March, opened a permanent pop-up shop, Pug on the Square, in Stow-on-the-Wold, whose sole purpose is to provide ultra short-term lets of one or two weeks to UK manufacturers and craftspeople. Spread the word!
I firmly believe there is. You just need to make it easy for people. As we know there is a lot of confusion about what is and isn’t British made. If the shop has done the job for you, then I could see a chain of such shops. The beauty of that is that it would ‘encourage’ other retailers to stock more as well.
I sell as much British product as I can, I have found when dealing with them you speak to someone who knows what they are talking about, and is willing to help to the point of putting something through as a “one off” to help you out. Lead time is very low, and their are no “surprises” when you open the box.(like opening the box to find 2 lefts or 2 rights instead of one of each). When I started work 40 years ago I only bought British tools, I still have them. I follow John Ruskin’s advice “There is nothing in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and he who considers price only is that mans lawful prey”.
Hi there
I regularly follow your post and I am keen to buy british when ever possible. i just came across this petition to get a Standardised Made in Britain logo that can be used by all businesses manufacturing in the UK. click the link https://submissions.epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/46536 and I wonder if you could possibly mention it on here? as I guess there are lots of people who are following this blog who will be keen. many thanks
I have found icandy useless don’t get me wrong love the design want to order one but out of stock and nobody can give me an answer of when they will be restocking the item I have a baby due soon and asked if they can find out when will be in stock which they could not, possibly this month or maybe in 2 months useless customer service and still being made in China when asked this is why they know nothing if was an English family run business would of thought they would have there hand on the pulse a bit better. Well tick tock Icandy you may be losing yet another customer and I shall let as many people as possible know what an awful service you have given me especially when you look at the prices for there prams!
Hi Mark – I am sorry to hear of your experience with iCandy. Silver Cross, I believe, are the only manufacturer of baby prams. Although this is strictly limited to their more traditional style ranges.