Cornish pasties, Whitstable oysters and Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese are given protected status by The European Union. 

But while no Sussex foods have achieved the status, other non-agricultural products could be protected under new proposals. 

Calls have been made to give traditional Sussex trugs protected status as a consultation into the idea gets underway.

The unique wooden baskets are hand-made from coppiced sweet chestnut wood and cricket bat willow and originated in Sussex in the 1600s.

Protected status is being sought becasue the specialist craftsmen who make the unique gardening baskets are being undercut by cheaper foreign imports leading to calls for protected status.

Robin Tuppen, current owner of Thomas Smith and trug-maker for 30 years, said: “Over the last few years there’s been an influx of cheap Chinese knock-offs.

“One company is selling them as traditional Sussex trugs but when they buy them they don’t last 12 months.

“Ours last up to 60 years, I’ve got a couple of Victorian ones which are in pretty good shape.

“It would be a great for us to have the same kind of protection that Champagne enjoys.

“If we don’t do something we will find there’s none of us left in a few years which would be a great shame.”

Thomas Smith, of Herstmonceux, refined the design in the 1820s for a more lightweight basket.

His trugs were so popular Queen Victoria commissioned some, with Mr Smith personally crafting and walking the 60 miles to Buckingham Palace to deliver them.

The advent of modern agriculture meant trugs fell out of favour, but their popularity has endured as a handy gardening tool.

There are only around four traditional trug-makers left in Sussex with hopes to create a heritage craft centre to keep the trade alive.

Thomas Smith employs five people and is looking to take on two apprentices to pass on the old craft to the next generation.

Some 40% of Thomas Smith sales go overseas with fans from around the world sending in photographs of themselves posing with their trugs.

South East MEP Catherine Bearder is leading calls for Sussex trugs to be given the status and is encouraging businesses and producers which fit the bill to contribute.

The Lib Dem member said: “These are exactly the types of product that we should be protecting, it’s wrong that cheap imitations made in China can be sold as traditional Sussex trugs.

“I look forward to welcoming Robin and several other producers of great traditional British products in Brussels so that they can take their message straight to the European Commission.”

For more information go to http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/consultations/2014/geo-indications-non-agri/index_en.htm.