Quote Originally Posted by ForresterModern View Post
MacDonalds (the restaurant chain, not the clan) publishes its nutritional data for all its food offerings, but is not required to stamp it on every Big Mac bun, each container of fries, and each Chicken Nugget. But it is (generally) supposed to be available in the store for the asking. Those who care will inquire and choose accordingly, those who don't won't. Same with the "designed in Scotland" label argument.

Caveat emptor rules---it is the consumer's responsibility, except for expected and legislated safety issues, to research his/her own purchases to the degree that he/she desires. The vendor only has minimal requirements of disclosure, as described by law, and is not bound to go further if they so choose. What you and I know about quality is that those quality vendors WILL go farther and give the information we want up front, BUT THEY DO SO VOLUNTARILY, and that is why discerning customers will choose to use them instead.

j
The two are not directly related - burgers and kilts and nobody expects a Big Mac to carry a label itself though as you say the information is supposed to be available in the restaurants.

However I have asked questions of staff in GB shops that they could not answer (I hope it was not a case of would not) and there is no separate information that I know of available in the GB stores so the "emptor" may not have enough information upon which to base a "caveat." Maybe this will improve with the better training that has been promised and I will put this to the test upon my next visit to Edinburgh which will possibly be in October.

When I ordered my Hunting Robertson in Hector Russell on the High St at a special price I was told immediately "of course at that price it will be machine and not hand sewn." Was that my favourite saleslady there, Moira, volunteering it personally or was it company policy that she should say so? I do not know. But that kilt carries the HR label so its origin can be identified - this is not the case with the cheaper kilts that are sold at other outlets besides those owned by GB. That only appears on their plastic bags which are no doubt soon discarded.

There has been much discussion about what constitutes a Scottish kilt and what criteria it should require and very little agreement - do the sheep have to be in Scotland for the wool, does the cloth have to be woven in Scotland or is the final product being made up in Scotland enough etc. etc.

We do know, however, that being "designed" and sold in Scotland are seemingly enough to convince many of the bona fides of the product. Lidl did not hide the fact that their kilts came from Germany - it was there on the packaging as was the material from which they were made yet they still sold exceedingly well so I would say that a fear of commercial loss is groundless. Price and instant gratification still have great power.