The UK’s largest Food and Farming Assurance scheme, Red Tractor, has today launched a new look which aims to set out the credentials of the food which carries its logo.

The new visual identity addresses a number of the challenges that British food and farming industry face – clearly differentiating to consumers the food which has been carefully produced to world-leading standards, to ensure that it is safe and fully traceable.

The 18-month programme to roll out the new look, will see the new logo appearing on packaging as the UK’s popular brands update their packaging.

The design draws on its 20-year history of checking British sourced food and drink all the way along its journey from farm to pack, the new logo retains the union flag to signify that the product has been grown, reared, processed and packed in the UK and will now feature:

  • The recognised name of the scheme – ‘Red Tractor’ replacing Assured Food Standards;
  • An updated tractor to modernise its appearance and to bring it into line with the TV ad;
  • The red tractor sitting on a ‘tick’- recognised by shoppers as indicating that the product has been checked;
  • The words ‘Certified Standards’ to clarify what Red Tractor does the heart in the wheel, to demonstrate the care and attention that is taken to produce the food.

The introduction of the new logo (pictured below) comes as new research has found that Red Tractor has a much higher level of awareness than all other food assurance marques.

Eight out of 10 shoppers are aware of the logo and see it as a positive, reassuring on-pack signpost in supermarkets.

Red Tractor chief executive Jim Moseley said: “Given the great care and attention that Red Tractor and our farmers put into ensuring that food we eat is safe and fully traceable, we owe it to our members that we improve shoppers and diners understanding of the scheme.

“Created 20 years ago to rebuild trust in British Agriculture after a spate of food scares, the logo was designed to be very utilitarian.

“Two decades on, we are facing a new watershed moment, with the market facing huge uncertainty. As we move through this unprecedented time, it is critical that we help shoppers to clearly differentiate which food has been produced and checked to world-leading standards from farm to pack – and the simplest way to do this is to look for the Red Tractor and the tick.

We believe passionately that people of the UK should be able to buy quality food they can trust, whatever their budget. And by choosing the Red Tractor, they are helping to foster a better future for British agriculture, farmers, growers and producers.

Red Tractor assurance scheme covers animal welfare, food safety, traceability and environmental protection from farm to pack. This ensures that families across Britain have access to safe & affordable food.

Approximately 75% of UK agricultural output is Red Tractor assured with over 46,000 British farmer members of the scheme.

Membership provides a route to market for major supermarkets and some of the UK’s largest foodservice customers – resulting in over £14 billion of British produced food and drink carrying the logo.