Paul McLaughlin has a distinguished career spanning food, farming and assurance. He started out in food manufacturing, working with Mars and The Coca-Cola Company before becoming the inaugural Chief Executive of Scotland Food & Drink where he brought together producers, processors and retailers. As Managing Director of fresh produce business, Scotty Brand, he oversaw the supply of a wide range of products including potatoes, carrots, fruit and meat to the UK’s major grocery retailers. He has also held leadership roles at the Building Engineering Services Association and most recently at the Rail Safety & Standards Board where he led the transformation of a major assurance scheme.

A scheme that works hard for farmers and growers

Talking about his appointment, Paul McLaughlin said: “British farming is the backbone of our food system, and the farmers and growers who meet the Red Tractor standard deserve a scheme that works as hard for them as they work for us. I want Red Tractor to be something that farmers can be genuinely proud of and that retailers and consumers trust completely. I’ll be doing a lot of listening first, and then getting to work.”

Alistair Macintosh, Chair of Red Tractor said: “Paul brings a unique blend of experience working within food, assurance and multistakeholder organisations. He really impressed the interview panel with his considered and strategic approach to leadership and demonstrated the dynamism needed to drive continued improvement at Red Tractor. I very much look forward to welcoming him to the Red Tractor team.”

Joining Red Tractor at a pivotal time

Paul’s appointment follows a comprehensive, open recruitment process and was ratified by Red Tractor’s Board of Directors on 13 March 2026. He joins Red Tractor at a pivotal time for the organisation as it continues to review its standards and deliver its vision to be the pride of British food and farming.  

Paul will take up the role on 5 May, enabling him to work alongside Red Tractor’s outgoing CEO, Jim Moseley, before Jim retires at the end of May.

Paul will join Red Tractor’s Board of Directors, working alongside industry, sector and independent directors representing the full breadth of UK food and farming.

Following the recent NFU elections, Paul Tompkins, NFU Deputy President has also joined the Board to represent the farming unions. He replaces outgoing director, David Exwood.

Read Paul McLaughlin’s answers to questions about what bought him to the role at Red Tractor

Three quarters of UK adults now recognise the Red Tractor logo, according to new consumer research.

YouGov tracking data shows awareness of Red Tractor is at 75% – a 3% increase since January 2025 – putting the scheme marginally ahead of the Lion Mark for eggs at 72% for the first time.

Growing awareness and visibility

Director of Marketing and Commercial at Red Tractor, Richard Cattell, attributes the growing awareness to both the breadth of the scheme, visibility of the logo on packs and the impact of the ‘With you for 25 years’ consumer campaign, which launched in August and is set to reach 46.9 million people by March 2026.

“Red Tractor and other farm assurance schemes play an important role in helping shoppers make informed choices,” says Mr Cattell.

“For over 25 years the Red Tractor logo has been a symbol of safe, traceable and responsibly produced food, underpinned by the efforts of more than 40,000 farmers and growers working to deliver high standards year-round.

“Our new campaign not only celebrates British food but helps to remind consumers why the scheme is trusted by every major UK supermarket,” he adds.

Consistent, trusted marks in shoppers’ minds

“With ongoing questions about the clarity and value of food labelling, achieving this level of consumer recognition demonstrates that consistent, trusted marks can establish themselves in shoppers’ minds.”

Peter Chandley, Head of Quality and Food Safety at Weetabix says: “At Weetabix, sourcing responsibly is fundamental to everything we do. That’s why all the wheat we use from within a 50-mile radius of our mills is Red Tractor assured.

“Assurance plays a vital role in giving us confidence in the safety, traceability and compliance of our wheat supply chain, while also supporting high standards of British farming.

“It provides independent verification right back to the farm, helping us deliver consistently high-quality products to our consumers and reinforcing our commitment to working with trusted UK growers.”

Giving consumers confidence

Red Tractor CEO, Jim Moseley adds: “Given that we’ve only been advertising since the end of 2018 this is a fantastic result.

“Clear, trusted labelling is vital in building confidence in British food, and while assurance schemes cover different products and standards, they share the same goal of giving consumers confidence,” he says.

Sector Boards initiate review of farm standards in 2026

Red Tractor has published priorities for delivering improvements in each farming sector. The priorities, developed by Red Tractor’s Sector Boards, will guide improvements to the scheme and mark an important step in the organisation’s ongoing commitments to greater transparency and delivering positive, tangible change for UK farmers and growers.

Chair of Red Tractor, Alistair Mackintosh, says: “By setting out these priorities, we’re giving stakeholders, including farmers and growers, a clear view of the direction of each travel in each farming sector and providing an early opportunity for feedback.”

A collaborative approach

The priorities have been developed and agreed collaboratively by representatives sitting on Red Tractor’s Sector Boards and include a review of farming standards in 2026. They sit alongside wider improvements already in progress including the Red Tractor portal, communications and assessor training.

All stakeholders are invited to share feedback by 1 February 2026 via the Red Tractor website.

Alistair Mackintosh, explains: “The collective focus of the review is to support reduction of unnecessary audit burden, delivering efficiency while maintaining rigour and ensuring that every audit point helps farmers to demonstrate due diligence or meet their customers’ expectations.”

Developed by Sector Boards

The priorities have been developed through Red Tractor’s established governance structure. The Red Tractor Board sets the organisation’s strategic direction, while each farming sector is represented by its own Sector Board made up of farmers, growers, vets, processors, retailers and supply-chain experts. 

Each Sector Board will continue to oversee the review process, using their collective knowledge to consider the specific needs and pressures facing their sector.

Mr Mackintosh explains that the next phase of work moves to the Technical Advisory Committees (TACs), which bring together experts from across each sector to develop detailed recommendations designed to deliver the priorities and objectives.   

“The TACs role is to explore options, test practicality and develop proposals that reflect both the objectives set by the Sector Boards and the realities of on-farm delivery,” he says.  

Greater transparency and clearer opportunities for feedback

“Farmers and growers have asked for greater transparency and clearer opportunities to have their say, and this is what we aim to achieve. 

“Feedback at this early stage will help shape the work that follows,” says Mr Mackintosh. 

Further opportunities to comment on draft standards will take place during 2026, before final, UKAS-accredited standards are published and implemented in 2027.

To learn about the priorities for each sector and to share feedback, visit redtractor.org.uk/improvements

Toad in the hole, corned beef hash, and bubble and squeak are among the classic kitchen British kitchen staples which have stood the test of time.

A poll of 2,000 adults revealed the top 30 nostalgic dishes people prepared in homes across the UK, including liver and onions (28 per cent), bread and butter pudding (33 per cent), and Welsh rarebit (26 per cent).

Other dishes making their way to the dinner table are home-made scotch eggs (24 per cent), suet dumplings (20 per cent), and Lancashire hot pot (19 per cent).

It also emerged 63 per cent confirmed the retro recipes they serve up to loved ones have been passed down to them through the generations, signifying the key role they still play in family mealtimes.

With 54 per cent learning them from their parents and 24 per cent from their grandparents.

In a bid to put traditional dishes to the test, children’s TV legend Angellica Bell teamed up with Red Tractor to host an intergenerational cook-off, featuring a selection of family recipes handed down through the generations.

Three families joined the Celebrity MasterChef winner and former CBBC presenter to recreate their favourite nostalgic dishes and explore why they are so important to them. 

Recipes included meatballs and spaghetti prepared by Nessie with her two daughters, Coco and Zaza, and son, Kaspar.

A hearty rhubarb crumble was created by Colette and her daughters, Amy and Chloe, and a delicious Chinese-style chicken noodle recipe was prepared by Tony and his son, Benjamin. 

The cook-along was planned by the food assurance scheme in honour of its 25-year anniversary, celebrating the hard work of British farmers and growers in meeting the high standards that ensure the safety and traceability of food produced in the UK.

Angellica Bell said: “I have great memories of cooking with my grandmother when I was a little girl and that’s why I believe spending quality time with loved ones in the kitchen is precious.

“It was fantastic to meet some amazing families and discuss the nostalgic dishes that have been handed down through generations in their households, hearing how important it is to them to keep those traditions alive.

“Creating recipes with ingredients that I know are safe, traceable, and British, was the perfect way to remind people about the importance of keeping this front of mind when shopping in supermarkets.”

Richard Cattell, spokesperson for Red Tractor, which has also created an interactive AI recipe generator tool to encourage budding chefs to create nostalgic recipes for their families said: “To mark this milestone anniversary we wanted to explore how nostalgia and cooking can really bring families together. 

“It was fascinating to find out which traditional British dishes have stood the test of time, as well as seeing the unique and personal touches families bring to those recipes in the modern day. 

“Angellica was the perfect host for the event – as well as it being 25 years since she first started as a children’s TV presenter, she is also passionate about cooking and encouraging children to get involved too. 

“We hope to inspire others to get together with loved ones and prepare their own nostalgic dishes.” 

The study found that over two thirds (68 per cent) of adults have used specific methods to try and keep traditional recipes alive.

For example, cooking their favourites at big family gatherings, writing recipes down in notebooks or cookbooks, or teaching their own children how to make nostalgic dishes.

Overall, 87 per cent agreed it’s important to keep traditional British recipes alive, according to the OnePoll.com data.

And it seems they are living up to this promise – with over a third (35 per cent) cooking classic dishes at least a few times every week.

A contributing factor to this may be the importance placed on buying British produce and supporting British farmers – 75 per cent confirmed they take this into account each time they shop for their family.

Richard Cattell added: “Nostalgic dishes may not be considered as trendy as they once were, but it doesn’t mean we should let important aspects of our heritage fade from the kitchen completely. 

“It’s heart warming and reassuring to see that so many families agree – and are keeping our nation’s favourite classic dishes alive by sharing recipes through the generations and creating lasting memories together in the kitchen.

“With a dash of nostalgia and a big dollop of comfort – we can keep homegrown produce and dishes at the heart of our family homes, ensuring the safety and traceability of ingredients while supporting British farmers.”

1. Roast dinner (67 per cent)
2. Spaghetti Bolognese (63 per cent)
3. Bangers and mash (59 per cent)
4. Fish and Chips (58 per cent)
5. Cottage Pie (55 per cent)
6. Shepherd’s Pie (52 per cent)
7. Victoria Sponge Cake (45 per cent)
8. Toad in the Hole (39 per cent)
9. Bread and Butter Pudding (33 per cent)
10. Corned Beef Hash (32 per cent)
11. Ploughman’s Lunch (32 per cent)
12. Rhubarb Crumble (32 per cent)
13. Lemon Drizzle Cake (30 per cent)
14. Bubble and Squeak (30 per cent)
15. Liver and Onions (28 per cent)
16. Welsh Rarebit (26 per cent)
17. Scotch Eggs (24 per cent)
18. Steak and Kidney Pie (21 per cent)
19. Suet Dumplings (20 per cent)
20. Eton Mess (19 per cent)
21. Lancashire Hotpot (19 per cent)
22. Treacle Sponge Pudding (17 per cent)
23. Biryani (16 per cent)
24. Jam Roly-Poly (16 per cent)
25. Coronation Chicken (15 per cent)
26. Cornish Pasty (traditional recipe) (15 per cent)
27. Jollof rice (14 per cent)
28. Pork pies (11 per cent)
29. Spotted Dick (11 per cent)
30. Oxtail Stew (10 per cent)

Watch the video to find out more!