Celebrated Essex-made jams are turning up in far-flung regions of the world, including Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, as younger generations of overseas consumers buy into British-branded goods.

Wilkin & Sons jams, made at Tiptree, is among the beneficiaries of strong interest in UK brands, particularly in the Middle East and Far East.

According to a new survey by Barclays Corporate Banking, two fifths (39%) of international consumers would be more inclined to buy a product if it displayed the Union Jack.

Consumers in Asia and the Middle East had stronger associations of quality with Brand Britain, with those from India (67%) United Arab Emirates (62%) China (61%) particularly drawn to UK goods.

Younger people were also more swayed by the Union Jack, with nearly half (48%) saying this would encourage them to make a purchase, compared to a quarter (24%) of over 55s. The figure jumped to three quarters (73%) for 25 to 34-year-olds in China.

Scott Goodfellow, joint managing director at the Tiptree jam factory, said the firm had been exporting Tiptree jam since its earliest production back in 1885.

“Our first export market was Australia, and since then we have expanded to supply around 70 countries across the globe.

“There’s an increasing demand for high quality British foods with heritage and provenance. Europe, North America, and Commonwealth countries have always been good markets, and more recently we have seen strong growth in China.”

Recently, the company broke into markets in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, with mini jars of Tiptree jam now appearing on the breakfast tables of top hotels, he said.

“Throughout the world, shoppers are willing to pay a little bit more for outstanding food. Being made in Britain certainly provides a stamp of reassurance as Britain has a tradition of quality, artisan production.”

Sasha Wiggins, Barclays’ east and south east region corporate banking boss, said: “Our research shows that some of the biggest opportunities lie in emerging markets, where British craftmanship is most valued. The prize is substantial, and exporters should be looking to highlight the provenance of British products to take best advantage.”