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Your assured produce: Trusted by 17 million UK shoppers | Progress on dairy calf welfare | Protecting your access to crucial biofuels markets | Welcoming Red Tractor's new Head of Communications & Engagement

Consumer trust in UK food at highest level for three years 

The UK public is regaining confidence in the quality and standards of food in the UK, halting three years of declining trust after the pandemic and during the cost-of-living crisis. 

Trust in UK food has reached its highest level since 2021
75% of UK adults now say they trust food in the UK, up from 71% in 2023 
UK public now trusts UK food more than NHS care or water from the tap

75% of UK adults now say they trust food in the UK, up from 71% in 2023, although still below the level of trust felt by shoppers in 2021 (81%), according to YouGov data.

The figure rises to 91% when consumers are asked whether they trust food exclusively produced within the UK. 

Significantly, more people now say they trust UK food than NHS care, water from the tap, or any other core UK service or utility. Trust in NHS care has declined from 81% in 2021 to 70% today, while trust in water supplies has fallen from 81% to 73% over the same period. 

The higher level of trust in food is broad based, with rising confidence across all aspects of UK food production and assurance.

The findings, which draw on research from over 3,000 UK consumers, form part of Red Tractor’s annual “Trust in Food Index”.

The Index was first produced in 2021 and is designed to provide the most comprehensive assessment of consumer attitudes to food in the UK. This year’s findings will give a boost to Britain’s battered food industry, after years of rising costs and higher prices for consumers during the cost-of-living crisis. 

I think the UK and Europe have some of the strictest regulations on food and drink, from growing, transporting, storing, labelling and cooking. You do occasionally hear about recalls, but it’s fairly rare and only serves to show how seriously companies take food standards.

A YouGov survey respondent

The role of farmers is crucial to improving confidence 

85% of adults say they trust UK farmers, compared to just 9% of whom express distrust. Animal welfare remains the most important aspect of food production for UK consumers, and 72% of adults say UK farmers follow good animal welfare standards. 

Consumers continuing to rely on Food Assurance schemes for trust 

Food assurance and inspection schemes continue to play a vital role in providing trust in UK food production and are seen as more important than the government or food industry in ensuring high standards of food safety and quality. 

72% of adults said that assurance labels were a reason to trust food, and 77% said that labels showing where food comes from helps build trust. 

Meanwhile the importance of the Red Tractor logo when choosing food has risen to its highest level in the four years since the Trust in Food Index began. 58% of consumers say the Red Tractor logo is important to them when making choices on what food to buy, up from 51% in 2023. 

Jim Moseley, Chief Executive Officer of Red Tractor, said:

“The past four years have been brutal for almost everyone in the food industry – from farmers fighting to put food on our plates, through to shoppers battling against a cost-of-living crisis. Not since the foot and mouth crisis over 20 years ago has the UK food industry had so much to contend with. UK farmers have been at the forefront of this struggle, who have faced tougher weather, regulation and input costs to doing business. Yet, despite the extremely challenging environment, farmers’ continued efforts to work to some of the highest standards in the world has played a significant role in driving a resurgence of consumer trust in UK food. 

“In the past, after periods of pressure like this, we’ve seen trust in food fall as people have had to trade down to cheaper items or supermarkets. What our 2024 findings show is that this time, UK food has come through the storm. UK shoppers are incredibly confident in the standards of food produced and sold in the UK, trusting all UK-produced food at every price point in all supermarkets. Third-party assurance schemes and logos like the Red Tractor have proved crucial in driving this resurgence, showing shoppers a product has undergone rigorous checks before reaching the shelf. 

“It should be a source of huge pride to everyone involved in food production in the UK that food is now more trusted than water or any other basic service we rely on every day. At Red Tractor it is our job to continue to support the industry’s work and to communicate to millions of UK shoppers that assured British food is produced to some of the highest standards in the world.”

Joint industry initiative to improve the welfare of dairy calves shows significant achievements

British dairy farmers have significantly reduced the number of pure-bred dairy bull calves being born on their farms, according to a report outlining the progress of the GB Dairy Calf Strategy.

The industry-led strategy, facilitated by AHDB and the NFU, launched in 2020 with the aim that all dairy-bred calves are reared with care and for a purpose as part of either the dairy or beef supply chains, thereby eliminating the need for routine euthanasia.

The strategy focuses on seven priority areas, including opening new pathways and supply chain opportunities for dairy-bred calves, encouraging responsible breeding strategies through farm assurance, and increasing the number of biosecure market routes for TB-affected herds.

Red Tractor: Helping Drive Change Across the Sector

Red Tractor has emerged as an agent of change in the implementation of the GB Dairy Calf Strategy. We updated our standards in 2021 to include a requirement for farmers to implement a written breeding and management policy. This has been a particularly helpful measure of the success of the Dairy Calf Strategy so far. We now have a framework to ensure that all Red Tractor assured farmers adopt responsible breeding strategies and management practices that align with the goals of the strategy.

But our influence goes beyond compliance, acting as a stimulus for cultural change within the industry. By setting clear expectations and providing robust oversight, our requirements have encouraged farmers to serve more of their cows to sexed or beef semen. These practices not only reduce the number of dairy bull calves being born but also enhance the marketability of dairy-bred calves, ensuring they have a viable future within the supply chain.

You can download the report here

Red Tractor has used the aspirations of the GB Dairy Calf Strategy to provide a framework for advisers, vets and farmers to discuss breeding opportunities for their farm. This has driven a reduction in the number of dairy bred bull calves we outline in the report, giving consumers, retailers and processors the confidence that the dairy sector is committed to ethical and sustainable farming practices. Red Tractor's requirements have not only helped to eliminate routine euthanasia but have also fostered a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.”

Sarah Tomlinson, vet and lead veterinary science expert at AHDB

Sarah Tomlinson has said the industry should be proud of what it has achieved since the strategy launched.

Securing biofuels market access for crops growers

Red Tractor is pleased to announce that we are the first UK assurance scheme to have been recognised by the European Commission as compliant with the revised RED III directive.

Behind the scenes we have worked hard to ensure that growers will notice no changes to any of the standards. However, we encourage Members to double check changes to our appendix, which will be available on our website shortly because some small changes have been made to definitions at the European Commission's request- this will be assessed against from May 2025.

As always, Red Tractor remains an integral part of government and industry lobbying to ensure that our standards remain compliant with the Renewable Energy Directive.

Jo Miller appointed as Head of Communications & Engagement

Jo Miller joins Red Tractor with over 15 years of experience in public relations, stakeholder management, corporate communications, and digital content.

She is a seasoned communications professional with a strong background in food assurance and multi-stakeholder issues, including sustainable fishing, climate change, food systems, and environmental management.

Jo’s career includes nine years at the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the international standards organisation for sustainable seafood, where she worked on global sustainability and supply chain issues. She joins Red Tractor from her role as a Senior Communications Consultant at SB+CO, working with major global brands such as McDonald’s, Beam Suntory, and Lego on their sustainability communications.

Jo will join Red Tractor on Monday 10 February.

I’m delighted to welcome Jo to Red Tractor’s leadership team. She brings a wealth of expertise in sustainability communications and stakeholder engagement, which will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our messaging and build trust across the food supply chain - particularly following the Farm Assurance Review. Jo’s experience working on complex environmental and food system issues makes her ideally suited to help us promote the values of Red Tractor and the benefits it delivers to farmers, food businesses and consumers alike.

Red Tractor CEO Jim Moseley

Red Tractor plays a vital role in ensuring that British food is produced to the highest standards of safety, welfare, and environmental protection – and communicating this value to consumers. I’m excited to join the team at such an important time for the sector and am looking forward to working with Red Tractor’s members and stakeholders to tell Red Tractor’s story and build trust in the label.

Jo Miller