Strengthening Consumer Understanding Through Research-Backed Labelling

About the Logos

Red Tracor's labelling system is built on extensive UK and international consumer research. Each logo is designed to help shoppers make quick, confident choices at the shelf or menu.

Consistency Matters

Consistency across categories is a cornerstone of Red Tractor’s approach.

By using the same labelling system for different proteins, such as pork and chicken, consumers can more easily recognise and trust the tiered labels.

This uniformity reduces confusion, helping shoppers make informed decisions without needing to learn different labelling systems for each type of meat. Introducing distinct labels for different proteins would risk undermining the simplicity and transparency that Red Tractor has worked hard to build.

Looking ahead, Red Tractor remains fully committed to supporting consumer understanding.

Just as it did during the launch of the poultry tiers, Red Tractor will offer clear, accessible explanations of the production standards behind each label, so that shoppers not only recognise the labels but also feel confident in what they represent.

Built on Consumer Insight

The development of the labelling system was informed by extensive research, including a recent study involving over 3,000 UK shoppers.
Rigorous testing of the Enhanced Welfare and Free Range logos, launched in 2020 for poultry found they were well-received and clearly understood.

Clear Tiering for Confidence

Based on these insights, a new mid-tier label was created—Certified Standards Plus—which could sit between the core Red Tractor logo and the Enhanced Welfare tier.
When presented with the range of logos on pork product packaging, consumers were able to place them in the right order and recognised Certified Standards Plus as the logical building block to the main logo.

A Trusted Mark

Consumers consistently view the Red Tractor logo as a trustworthy signal of high farming and food production standards, independent from the retailer. Over 17 million UK main shoppers view the Red Tractor logo as an independent source they can trust, making it the most trusted food assurance logo in the UK. (Source : Yougov data Jan 2025. 2,000+ UK adults – representative population sample)
Our tiered labelling provides a simple approach that works best when paired with the retailer’s own welfare stories on pack.

Clarifying Confusing Terms

Time and again our research has revealed that terms like “Outdoor-Bred” and “Outdoor-Reared” are poorly understood and often mislead consumers—many believe these mean the pigs lived outdoors their entire lives. Particularly where there is no Free Range pork on the shelf for them to compare against.
Whereas our Enhanced Welfare label is understood as a meaningful step up in animal welfare, building on the solid foundation of the core Red Tractor requirements.