Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery but some Scottish food producers do not take the risk. Stornoway black pudding, Shetland lamb and the Arbroath smokie are among the products granted EU protection from copycats in recent years.
Now a dinnertime staple is to join them: the Ayrshire new potato. It is the latest to be awarded protected geographical indication (PGI) status.
The rules ensure that only products from a particular region can be marketed with the area’s name. Other examples include Scotch whisky, champagne and Parma ham.
