MORE than 3,000 pieces of feedback have been received across the Red Tractor food chain to help the assurance scheme to identify areas needed to evolve to meet consumers' expectations and market requirements.

Launched in January, the eight-week review of proposals for the scheme's six sectors, saw Red Tractor meet with farmers, vets, retailers, processors and other stakeholders.

Jim Moseley, Red Tractor CEO said: “Although we routinely review our standards every few years, we felt it was important to change our approach, by opening up the process to as many individuals as possible. We wanted to hear directly from our members and stakeholders, in addition to the established routes of representative groups and organisations.”

The consultation is in the review stage with Technical Advisory Committees reaching a consensus on what the final standards should look like ahead of implementation in November.

Independent market research shows that 71 percent of shoppers say that their purchasing behaviour is positively influenced by seeing the Red Tractor logo, while 43 percent say they would trade up from a less expensive product to a Red Tractor product if they saw it.

Head of Marketing Richard Cattell added: “Our farmers take enormous pride in the food they grow and rear to feed us, so it was important that this care was replicated in the production of our new advert. Our previous campaign really chimed with consumers, so we’re excited to bring back some of the characters and visual charm, and hope that we can make supermarket navigation for those shoppers who are looking for food that is safe, traceable and farmed with care, that bit easier.”