Red Tractor has released its fourth annual ‘Trust in Food Index’, finding that trust in UK food is at its highest level since 2021.

The index found that 75% of UK adults now say they trust food in the UK, up from 71% in 2023, although still below the level of trust felt by shoppers in 2021 (81%). The figure rises to 91% when consumers are asked whether they trust food exclusively produced within the UK. It was also reported that more people now say they trust UK food than NHS care, water from the tap, or any other core UK service or utility.

The higher level of trust in food is broad based, with rising confidence across all aspects of UK food production and assurance. 83% of adults now believe that food produced in the UK is safe [2023: 72%], 81% say it is good quality [2023: 73%], and 74% are confident that UK food is traceable through the supply chain [2023: 64%].

The findings draw on research from over 3,500 UK consumers and form part of Red Tractor’s annual “Trust in Food Index”. The Index was first produced in 2021 and is designed to provide the most comprehensive assessment of consumer attitudes to food in the UK. This year’s findings will reportedly “give a boost to Britain’s battered food industry”, after years of rising costs and higher prices for consumers with cost-of-living concerns.  

One survey respondent commented: “I think the UK and Europe have some of the strictest regulations on food and drink, from growing, transporting, storing, labelling and cooking. You do occasionally hear about recalls, but it’s fairly rare and only serves to show how seriously companies take food standards.”

According to the research, 85% of adults say they trust UK farmers, compared to just 9% of whom express distrust. Animal welfare remains the most important aspect of food production for UK consumers, and 72% of adults say UK farmers follow good animal welfare standards.

Assurance schemes remain important to customers

Regarding food assurance schemes, 72% of adults said that assurance labels were a reason to trust food, and 77% said that labels showing where food comes from helps build trust.  

Meanwhile the importance of the Red Tractor logo when choosing food has risen to its highest level in the four years since the Trust in Food Index began, as 58% of consumers say the Red Tractor logo is important to them when making choices on what food to buy, up from 51% in 2023.

The research also found that 67% of consumers say they recognise the Red Tractor logo, with only the FairTrade (78%) and British Lion (69%) kitemarks gaining wider recognition.

Jim Moseley, chief executive officer of Red Tractor, said: “The past four years have been brutal for almost everyone in the food industry – from farmers fighting to put food on our plates, through to shoppers battling against a cost-of-living crisis. Not since the foot and mouth crisis over 20 years ago has the UK food industry had so much to contend with.

“UK farmers have been at the forefront of this struggle, who have faced tougher weather, regulation and input costs to doing business. Yet, despite the extremely challenging environment, farmers’ continued efforts to work to some of the highest standards in the world has played a significant role in driving a resurgence of consumer trust in UK food.”

“UK shoppers are incredibly confident in the standards of food produced and sold in the UK, trusting all UK-produced food at every price point in all supermarkets.”

“In the past, after periods of pressure like this, we’ve seen trust in food fall as standards have slipped or as people have had to trade down to cheaper items or supermarkets. What these findings show is that this time, the UK food has come through the storm: UK shoppers are incredibly confident in the standards of food produced and sold in the UK, trusting all UK-produced food at every price point in all supermarkets. Third-party assurance schemes and logos like the Red Tractor have proved crucial in driving this resurgence, showing shoppers a product has undergone rigorous checks before reaching the shelf.

“It should be a source of huge pride to everyone involved in food production in the UK that food is now more trusted than water or any other basic service we rely on every day. At Red Tractor it is our job to continue to support the industry’s work and to communicate to millions of UK shoppers that assured British food is produced to some of the highest standards in the world.”

Professor Susan Jebb, chair of the Food Standards Agency (FSA), added: “The FSA’s mission is to ensure people can trust the food they eat is safe. Maintaining high standards from farm to fork is a crucial part of that.

“The FSA has a well-established working relationship with Red Tractor, which is one of the FSA Approved Assurance schemes. We look forward to continuing to work in close collaboration with them to protect public health and ensure that people have food that they can trust. ”