Assured Food Standards (AFS) has announced it will mark the 10th anniversary of the Red Tractor logo with a week of activities including supermarket events, following news more than half of the population recognise the mark.
Research by Corporate Edge has revealed 55 per cent of consumers recognise the mark - synonymous with British food and quality farm standards - and Red Tractor Week will take place on 14-20 June to further promote the kite.
The Red Tractor logo now features on £10 billion worth of food and drink products annually and TV presenter and writer Janet Street-Porter, has been brought on board to front the Red Tractor Week campaign.
To encourage Red Tractor members to get involved and push awareness of the week, AFS has launched an online toolkit - www.redtractor.org.uk/week to help stores promote the week. Tesco and Sainsbury’s will be among those hosting in-store events and promotional materials to back the campaign.
A recent partnership with the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board has further strengthened the mark’s position in horticulture and it is estimated that 100,000 enterprises throughout the food and supply chain are red tractor certified.
Red Tractor Week will launch with a high profile photocall with Janet Street Porter. Other activity includes a national media relations campaign, special events at supermarkets, restaurants, pubs and schools around the country, media promotions and giveaways.
A specially created online Summer Eating Guide to help increase consumer awareness and a Red Tractor will be parked in Jubilee Gardens, central London.
AFS chairman David Gregory told FPJ foodservice companies such as Pauleys and Sodexo were providing support for the campaign and that catering is a growing and important sector for the mark.
He also said the build up to the London Olympic Games in 2012 would be important for the mark: “It has been confirmed that Red Tractor will provide the core standard for the Olympic Games and that it will be used to showcase British food.
“As such, caterers bidding for tenders will have to make sure everything is Red Tractor assured. It won’t just be about the three or four weeks of the games but the legacy it leaves for the food industry.
“Since its launch ten years ago, the Red Tractor scheme has brought together leading producers, processors and retailers and has gone from strength to strength. Red Tractor represents a unique assurance of quality production across the whole food chain and Red Tractor Week is a celebration of the industry’s achievements over the past ten years.”
Tesco commercial director Colin Holmes added: “We’re delighted to be getting involved in Red Tractor Week by promoting the Red Tractor mark in store and increasing its visibility on over 900 of our fresh products.”
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