New research shows British shoppers trust homegrown food most amid trade deal debates

18 June 2025, UK:

• UK consumers trust British food more than food from other countries, with trust in British food reaching a 4-year high of 94%
• 90% of Brits want to see more food produced in the UK with concern over standards of foreign food
• Traceability and animal welfare remain the main drivers of trust in British food, with farmers key to delivering this
• Findings form part of Red Tractor’s 5th “Trust in Food Index” – the UK’s most comprehensive survey of attitudes to food standards and qualities

At a time of extensive speculation about increased imports as a result of trade deals, new research commissioned by Red Tractor reveals that 94% of UK consumers trust food produced in the UK, more than other countries around the world.

Nine in ten people (90%) want to see more food produced in the UK. Meanwhile just around a third of people say they trust food produced in the US (33%) and India (31%) – a steep decline from the Index’s 2023 findings of 74% and 62% respectively.

Many people believe these countries have lower animal welfare standards than the UK. Nearly three out of five Brits (57%) believe the US has lower standards than our own, potentially causing concern about products entering the UK market – up from 46% in 2023.

The higher level of trust in food is due to a number of factors, with rising confidence across all aspects of UK food production and assurance. 90% of adults now believe that food produced in the UK is safe [2024: 83%, 2023: 72%], 88% say it is good quality [2024: 81%, 2023: 73%], and 86% are confident that UK food is traceable through the supply chain [2024: 86%, 2023: 64%].

Drivers of trust in UK food

The UK’s record on animal welfare is another key driver of this trust, with more than four in five people (83%) recognising the UK’s high animal welfare standards as the reason to trust homegrown food.

Britain’s farmers are the trusted guardians of our weekly shop with 88% of consumers having trust in them, followed closely by assurance schemes (79%).

When asked about which group is the most responsible for ensuring food is safe and good quality in the UK, food assurance and inspection schemes came out top, followed by the government and farmers.

The findings, which draw on research from over 2,000 UK consumers, form part of Red Tractor’s annual “Trust in Food Index”, first produced in 2021 and designed to provide the most comprehensive assessment of British consumer attitudes to food.

UK shoppers demand more safeguards for British farmers

Shoppers responding to this survey were clear about their support for British food and farming:<

• “We don’t support our own Farmers enough”
• “Farmers are being undercut by imported goods”
• “Too many cheap imports from countries that don’t have the same safeguards for crops or animals we do here.”

For British shoppers, if they are going to buy imported food, closer to home is better. Ireland is the most trusted country outside the UK to produce beef, chicken, pork and dairy products. Ireland’s animal welfare standards are considered very close to the UK’s.

Alistair Mackintosh, Chair of Red Tractor, commented on the role of food and farming standards:

“The world leading standards to which British farmers operate sets us apart from our international competitors. It’s this dedication to quality, safety and animal welfare that underpins the trust consumers place in British food — and it’s something our farmers continue to earn every day through their hard work and high standards. The results from the survey highlight the value that UK shoppers place in trusting UK-produced food.

“As discussions continue around opening the UK market to US beef imports, we must be clear: our priority should be championing British produce — reared to world-leading standards and independently assured through third-party assurance schemes like Red Tractor, reassuring shoppers that items have gone through rigorous checks before reaching the supermarket.

“The UK Government must value and continue to defend British food standards and our farming industry by ensuring that any imports meet the same high bar. Consumers are clear that it is important their food is produced here in the UK, and rightly expect that what they put in their shopping basket reflects British values. Undercutting those expectations with lower-standard imports would betray the trust that farmers and assurance schemes have worked so hard to build. Alongside the NFU and our industry partners, I am clear that the best way consumers can support British farmers and food is to look for the Red Tractor logo.”

Celebrating 25 years of trust in UK produce, underpinned by food and farming standards

These findings come as Red Tractor celebrates 25 years since the creation of Red Tractor as a cross-industry initiative to restore trust in British food and farming. To mark its 25th anniversary, Red Tractor will be thanking its members and licensed businesses for their commitment to British food and farming standards and their contribution to the historic turnaround in domestic and global trust in British food. A new consumer marketing campaign, planned for later in the year, will also celebrate the milestone.

About the research  

2025 Trust in Food Index – YouGov polled over 2,000 adults across a nationally representative sample in the UK. Fieldwork was conducted online between 4th – 5th June 2025. 2023 Trust in Food Index – Opinium polled over 5,000 adults across a nationally representative sample in the UK. Fieldwork was conducted online between 17th – 30th August 2023.