British farmers work hard to earn the public’s trust, but that trust can be shaken when food fraud hits the headlines. Reports of imported meat being marketed as British, even when unrelated to Red Tractor, make it clear how easily confidence in homegrown food can be undermined. With more imported products carrying the “packed in the UK” claims or Union Flags on their labels, it’s never been more important to defend the integrity of genuine British provenance.
The Red Tractor logo is a guarantee of British provenance. This is because the scheme is backed by a comprehensive traceability verification process. We always move quickly to correct any misuse of the Red Tractor logo, whether deliberately or in error.
Robust, unannounced audits
Our criteria for how food businesses and supermarkets use the Red Tractor logo is simple. The logo can only be used on produces processed and packed in the UK assured to Red Tractor standards at each stage of the supply chain. Any food business that makes a Red Tractor claim – whether that is carrying the logo on products or using the Red Tractor as a buying specification – must be licensed and is subject to what we call the Traceability Challenge. This is robust and unannounced audit of food business operators’ premises and their paperwork.
The visit, wherever it takes place within the supply chain, requires evidence of the farms which have supplied a Red Tactor assured product, even if that means going back through multiple businesses in the chain.
For example, a visit to a food service restaurant who is licensed to make a Red Tractor claim on chicken will be required to present trace evidence of each Red Tractor licensed stage of the chain – such as the catering butcher, wholesaler, cutting plant and abattoir – to check that all the originating farms were Red Tractor assured.
Supply chain accountability
As we demonstrate to consumers in advertising campaigns, the Red Tractor assurance scheme covers the entirety of a product’s journey to the supermarket shelf. This accountability is a big factor in consumers’ trust in British food.