They are our best loved treats and pantry goodies – some manufactured here for hundreds of years.

But well-known names from Curly Wurlys, HP sauce and Twinings tea to Twix and Smarties have already lost their Made in Britain pride.

And as Colman’s and Blue Riband prepare to shift work abroad with the loss of hundreds more jobs, their makers are accused of playing “fast and loose” with their traditional UK ties.

Colman’s – now owned by Unilever – plans to close its Norwich factory after 160 years this autumn, moving to other sites including one in Germany.

And Nestle-owned Blue Riband chocolate biscuits, made in Britain since 1936, are set to be made in Poland with the loss of nearly 300 jobs. Swiss firm Nestle claims the switch, affecting jobs in Newcastle, York, Halifax and Girvan in Scotland, will help the firm stay competitive.

Some of the nation's favourite products are now produced abroad (
Image:
Getty)

But unions have blasted such moves. And GMB national officer Eamon O’Hearn says centuries of tradition are being swept aside in pursuit of profits.

He said: “Multinational companies are playing fast and loose with their ties to the UK. Unilever is selling off the Colman’s site for redevelopment.

“Norwich is losing nearly 200 years of production and more than 100 jobs. This whole policy is driven by profit.

“British firms have a strong philanthropic tradition, with Colman’s setting up schools and Cadbury building facilities for its workforce and communities. All that is being ripped to shreds.”

Nestle has made Smarties in Hamburg since 2006 while rival firm Mars moved Twix to France and Germany a year later.

There has been a series of foreign takeovers of British brands in the past 20 years – with one of the most controversial being Kraft’s £12billion Cadbury swoop in 2010.

Kraft – now Mondelez International – closed a factory near Bristol where Crunchie bars were made, and moved production to Poland. Curly Wurlys have been manufactured there since 2008.

Kraft bought Cadbury for £12billion Cadbury in a 2010 swoop (
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AFP)

Mint chocolate firm Bendicks, made by royal appointment since 1930, was moved from Winchester to Germany in 2011 after a buyout. Organic chocs Green & Black’s has been swallowed by Kraft.

It is now made in Italy as well as Poland where Twinings tea is produced.

HP Sauce was bought up by US giant Heinz in 2006 and moved from Birmingham to Holland in 2007.

But Mike Watkins, retail insight head at industry analyst Nielsen, claims we’re not too bothered where brands are made. He said: “What’s important to shoppers is quality, price and convenience.”

Nestle said its proposed changes “affect a number of our sites including Fawdon, Newcastle, where Blue Riband is made.”

Unilever says most Colman’s products made in Norwich will stay in the UK. But some packaging of dry sauces will move to a German factory.

Unilever said: “We will offer affected employees a comprehensive support package including discussing redeployment at other sites.”

Brands that left the UK

1. Colmans

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Alamy)

The famous mustard began production in Norwich in 1858. The firm became part of Unilever in 1995.

The factory is due to close at the end of next year when production goes to Burton upon Trent and packaging of dry sauces to Germany.

2. Terry's Chocolate Orange

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Handout)

Terry's Chocolate Orange can trace its history back to 1769. Chocolate maker Terry’s of York was taken over by US-owned Kraft Foods in 1993, which closed its York factory in 2005.

3. Green & Black's

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Sunday Mercury)

Organic chocolate brand Green & Black’s, founded in 1991, was bought for £20m in 2005 by Cadbury which itself was taken over by Kraft – now Mondelez – five years later.

It is now made in Italy and Poland.

4. HP Sauce

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Image:
PA)

The famous tangy brown sauce depicting Big Ben on the label was dreamed up in 1898 by grocer Frederick Gibson Garton who called it HP because he had heard a restaurant in the Houses of Parliament had begun serving it.

It was bought by American giant Heinz in 2006 and production was moved from Birmingham to Holland a year later.

5. Blue Riband

Made in Britain since 1936. Thought to have been named after the Blue Riband trophy awarded to liners crossing the Atlantic in the quickest time.

The chocolate wafer biscuit, made in Newcastle, is now moving to Poland.

6. Twix

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Alamy)

Twinnings, which supplies tea to the Queen, was founded in London in 1706 and claims to be one of the first companies to introduce tea drinking to the English.

Although its HQ is in Andover, Hants, where most of the tea is blended, unions fear the firm could move all of its manufacturing to Poland.

7. Crunchie & Curly Wurly

Launched by chocolate firm Fry & Sons in 1929, Crunchie bars were made at Cadbury’s Keynsham factory near Bristol until 2010 when the firm was taken over by US food firm Kraft.

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Image:
Alamy)

Production of the bar moved to Poland along with along with Wispas and Curly Wurlys.

8. Smarties

The fun multi-coloured sweets were launched by Rowntree in York in 1937. A buy-up by Swiss giant Nestle in 1988 led to production being shifted to Hamburg in 2006.

9. Twinnings

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Image:
WalesOnline)

Twinnings, which supplies tea to the Queen, was founded in London in 1706 and claims to be one of the first companies to introduce tea drinking to the English.

Although its HQ is in Andover, Hants, where most of the tea is blended, unions fear the firm could move all of its manufacturing to Poland.

10. Bendicks

Mint chocolates Bendicks were founded by Oscar Benson and Colonel Bertie Dickson in 1930 and made in London by royal appointment.

Production of the individually wrapped chocolates, now owned by German firm Storck, was moved from Winchester to Germany in 2011.