Red Tractor scheme need overhaul - Food Industry Report - Brief Article
Author: Eurofood

Food Assurance Schemes, such as the Red Tractor, in place to supposedly reassure consumers and help them make informed choices about the food they buy, need a radical overhaul, says the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

In its review published on 9 July 2002 on the 18 schemes in place in the UK, the FSA calls for the creation of an independent regulatory body to govern the individual schemes and closer cooperation between them.

Currently more than 550 product lines, including meat, milk, fruit and vegetables, are labelled with logos and symbols such as the Red Tractor to show that the product has been checked to ensure high standards.

Speaking at the annual Trading Standards Institute conference, FSA chairman Sir John Krebs said, "Assurance schemes such as the Red Tractor are potentially a force for good, driving up production standards and expanding choice, but they need a shake-up.

"Most people are thoroughly confused about assurance schemes. The number of different schemes and their various logos adds to the confusion. For example, consumers are not sure whether the Red Tractor logo is to do with country of origin, better standards of production, or better quality food."

Schemes need to be independent if they were to improve confidence. He welcomed steps taken by the food industry to improve the situation, but indicated that more needed to be done.