British consumers are concerned about the production standards of imported food, according to Red Tractor’s latest Trust in Food Index.
The report, which surveyed more than 3,000 consumers to understand public perceptions of food quality, safety, traceability and supply, found 53% of people thought imports produced to lower animal welfare standards should be banned.
Thirty-nine per cent of those surveyed further stated imports should be clearly labelled, with just 2% believing they should be allowed without restriction.
Despite this, the report found only 29% of consumers were confident in the UK’s ability to produce enough food for itself.
“Consumers are not confident that imports meet UK standards,” Red Tractor said. “They are not confident that the UK produces enough food without those imports and they are not confident that the labelling system at the point of purchase tells them clearly which is which.
“The result is a consumer base anxious about both the source of their food, the sufficiency of British food they trust and looking for ways to navigate that anxiety in the shopping aisle.”
Although consumers treated imported food with caution, the index found that 94% showed a net trust in British food as an institution, with customers having more confidence in it than the NHS (88%), tap water (85%), local government (83%) and utilities (69%).
When questioned about what made them trust British food, animal welfare was the biggest driver (55%), followed by traceability (47%) and quality (36%). Eighty per cent also said they trusted British farmers, though this number has been volatile, dropping 5% year on year despite improving on 2022’s figure of 77%.
However, with 93% of consumers saying they lacked understanding in at least one aspect of food production, and 87% of consumers reporting they experienced confusion at the point of purchase, Red Tractor warned there was a growing disconnect between shoppers and farming.
“It’s encouraging to see the level of trust people continue to place in British farming, particularly at a time when fewer consumers have a direct connection to how food is grown or reared,” said Red Tractor deputy CEO and director of standards and operations Philippa Wiltshire.
“But it’s not enough on its own,” she added. “If consumers are going to back British farming, they need clearer understanding of what sits behind the food they buy, and the standards farmers are working to deliver.”
Responding to the index, NFU deputy president Paul Tompkins said it demonstrated the public retained a “deep-rooted trust in sustainable homegrown food” and called on the government to raise import standards.
“This is why we continue to call on government to introduce a robust system of core production standards that must be met by both domestically produced and imported food to be sold in the UK,” he said.
However, while over 70% of consumers said assurance schemes (like Red Tractor) were key drivers in driving trust in UK food, Tompkins said farmers had to also feel valued and supported by the assurance schemes that governed them.
“Maintaining public trust is absolutely vital,” he added. “It requires continuous dialogue and transparency throughout the whole supply chain in order to build a resilient and thriving industry, so we can continue producing high-quality food for the nation.”
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