Protected by Law

by | Jan 5, 2022

European Protected Designation of Origin

Halen Môn Sea Salt is made from the clean, clear seawaters that surround the beautiful island of Anglesey in North Wales. In 2014, we joined the likes of Champagne, Parma Ham and Melton Mowbray Pork Pies after being awarded Protected Designation of Origin status by the European Commission.

Under the EU’s protected food name scheme, certain food and drink products receive Europe-wide legal protection against imitation and misuse. It means that no other company or country can ‘pass off’ their product under the Halen Môn name. We have always been proud of where our sea salt comes from and this new accolade legally recognises Halen Môn as having unique qualities due to our geographical location as well as the way we make it.

The application process for PDO accreditation is an extensive and complicated procedure and we were helped greatly by DEFRA and the Welsh Government.

Halen Môn

Other sea salts are often made from ‘strengthened’ or adulterated brine and may also have additives such as anti-caking agents added. Our PDO status is a guarantee against any of that.  Every organically certified flake of our sea salt is harvested by hand. We then rinse our crystals to give them their characteristic, brilliant gem-like appearance, with a perfect balance of delicious minerals and not a hint of bitterness.

The application process for PDO accreditation is an extensive and complicated procedure and we were helped greatly by DEFRA and the Welsh Government.

Halen Môn is the first Welsh PDO and also joins Welsh Lamb and Beef and Pembrokeshire Early Potatoes in achieving Protected Food Name  status (PFN) to make the perfect plate of delicious PFN Welsh food.

UK Designated Origin

At the end of 2020 the UK government rolled out Protected geographical food and drink names: UK GI schemes. Halen Môn was confirmed as Designated Origin which is the UK law equivalent of the European Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) protection.

Food, drink and agricultural products with a geographical connection or that are made using traditional methods can be registered and protected as intellectual property. This protection is called a geographical indication (GI).

GI protection guarantees a product’s characteristics or reputation, authenticity and origin. It protects the product name from misuse or imitation.

The UK GI schemes protect registered product names when they are sold in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales).

The EU GI schemes protect registered products names when they are sold in Northern Ireland and the EU.

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