News

In a strategic move to promote British food ahead of Christmas, Red Tractor has launched a dedicated campaign to inform and persuade shoppers of the benefits of supporting the traceable, safe and farmed with care principles behind much of the food that they buy. 

A core part of Red Tractor’s strategy is to help advance and protect the UK food industry. The Red Tractor logo acts as a signpost for shoppers who want to support hardworking British farmers, particularly during this time of acute supply chain disruption and government drive for free trade agreements. The scheme’s targeted advertising approach has broadcast video on demand at its heart and is aimed at the principal shopper in every household. The new campaign is heavily weighted towards digital, social channels and print media to reach time-poor consumers who shop keenly on price. 

It is expected to reach around two million unique viewers as they catch up on the nation’s favourite shows, including The Great British Bake Off, Grand Designs and Our Yorkshire Farm. 

Growing trust in food 

Findings from the recent Trust in Food Index has revealed that the UK public overwhelmingly backs British food as safe, traceable and good quality, and one of the main reasons behind this confidence is an implicit trust in the systems of regulation and assurance that exists here. 

Today new figures from Red Tractor’s build on these findings and, show that most British consumers trust Red Tractor, a key pillar in the UK’s system of standards and regulation.  

More than £14bn worth of home-produced food and drink sold in the UK bears the Red Tractor certified logo, having met rigorous standards throughout the supply chain – from farm to pack. Research from YouGov has found that around three-quarters of shoppers who are aware of Red Tractor say it as an independent source they can trust, with four out of five people saying that they actively looking for the logo when buying food.   

Jim Moseley, Red Tractor’s chief executive, said: “At this time of unique change and pressure on British farming, and the unprecedented scrutiny and uncertainty over the food we eat. We know that the priority for consumers is having high quality, safe and affordable food that is farmed with care. The Red Tractor logo means that the food they buy has been responsibly sourced, safely produced and comes from British crops and animals that have been well cared for.  

“Red Tractor was set up with a clear mission to rebuild the public’s trust in British food. Now, as the largest and most comprehensive assurance scheme, covering 75 per cent of agricultural produce, we are uniquely positioned to champion British food and farming with the nation’s shoppers and diners. 

“Research shows that more than three quarters of UK primary shoppers (21.5 million) are familiar with the Red Tractor logo, and four out of five people actively look for the logo on pack, making it the most trusted food marque in the UK. 

“This is not only fantastic news for Red Tractor, but more importantly it’s a huge seal of approval for the hard work and commitment of the millions of people who work in the UK food industry.“ 

Record recognition 

British shoppers’ trust in UK food has climbed, partly due to ever-increasing awareness of the Red Tractor logo. Founded in 2000, Red Tractor is a world-leading food chain assurance scheme that underpins the high standards of British food and drink. It is the UK’s largest food and farm standards scheme and certifies products to rigorous standards from farm to pack. 

Reaching and informing shoppers about the safety, traceability and responsible production of UK is central to Red Tractor’s campaign work.. A TV advert which ran between March and May this year was watched by 21.3 million UK adults on live TV, had 3.3 million views on on-demand TV streaming services and 38.9 million views on YouTube. 

In a recent survey, four out of five shoppers who typically buy the food for their household said that they now recognise the Red Tractor logo – surpassing all previous records for the brand. 

Prompted awareness among primary shoppers – who are shown the logo and asked if they recognise it – stands at 77 per cent recognition, up two per cent on the previous year. 

Meanwhile, unprompted awareness – where primary shoppers are asked about food assurance logos and namecheck Red Tractor without being given any prompts or reminders – has now hit 47 per cent, an increase of six per cent from 2020.