British farmers proud to produce great British food

This weekend, ten national newspapers will carry the message that British farmers are leading the way in high standards for fresh, British food as the NFU launches a Buy British campaign.

Adverts encouraging consumers to buy British will run across the national press, highlighting the message that great British farmers produce great British food. And with consumer confidence leading the agenda shoppers are being reminded to look out for the Red Tractor farm assurance logo, which stands for independently inspected food, traceable from farm to pack. The campaign is in direct response to the scandal which has seen horsemeat being passed off as beef in some imported frozen foods and has highlighted the complexity of the food chain in some products.

Using the twitter hashtag #buybritish the NFU will also be championing British produce on social media and encouraging consumers to show their support and buy the high quality food produced on British farms.

NFU President Peter Kendall said: “British farmers are very proud of what they produce and are, quite rightly, furious about this current situation. They feel let down by what looks like a criminal element in an isolated part of the food chain.

“Our meat industry is highly regulated and it is imperative that we remind consumers that British farmers work to some extremely stringent standards. This gives me confidence that fresh, British meat should remain top of the shopping list. And I’m not alone. Anecdotal evidence from Eblex suggests that demand for assured quality beef remains robust and that consumers are increasingly looking for assurance marks when they are buying food.

“I am very happy to be working together with Eblex and Bpex on national newspaper advertising which will run this weekend to kick start the NFU campaign Buy British. This will have impact and send a clear message about the quality and traceability of food coming from British farms.

“So the NFU is telling the public that they can buy British in confidence. Look for the Red Tractor logo, as products bearing it have been independently inspected to accredited standards, and are traceable from farm to pack.

“The supermarkets have an important role to play in rebuilding consumer confidence too. We want them to throw their weight behind independent assurance schemes like Red Tractor, which will help to reassure consumers and Great British farmers.

“We have been urging the public to make it British, make it local and make it happen as part of our Farming Delivers for Britain campaign. Today, in the wake of this horsemeat scandal, that has a new resonance for us all.

“Consumers should have the confidence that the products they buy are what they say they are. Our message to them is that British farms produce high quality produce and we want the public to continue to show them support.”