Red Tractor has criticised a ruling by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) which upheld a complaint against one of its TV adverts, calling the decision “fundamentally flawed” and based on a misinterpretation of its purpose as a food assurance scheme.
The complaint, originally raised by the environmental group River Action, argued that the 2021 “Farmed with Care” advertisement exaggerated the environmental standards of Red Tractor–certified farms.
However, Red Tractor said the advert made no environmental claims, instead focusing on its core assurance areas of food safety, animal welfare and traceability, which have been a core focus of the scheme since its creation, following the BSE and Foot & Mouth crises.
Chief executive Jim Moseley said the ASA’s conclusion “misinterprets the content of the advert” and warned that the decision could set a “worrying precedent” for other food and farming advertisers.
“If the advert was clearly misleading, it wouldn’t have taken over two years to reach this conclusion,” said Moseley.
“We completely disagree that it could be misinterpreted by consumers, and we’re concerned the ASA has departed from normal practice by using its own judgement rather than the average consumer test.”
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Despite this response, the UK advertising watchdog ruled that while Red Tractor could continue using its “Farmed with Care” line, it must now provide clearer references to the specific standards behind the claim, for example, by linking to its website.
However, Red Tractor also defended its compliance record, noting that 98.8% of farms passed inspections between 2021 and 2023. The company said that environmental regulation falls under the remit of the Environment Agency (EA), not Red Tractor itself.
The food assurance scheme, which covers more than 42,000 UK farms, said it would continue to uphold rigorous standards across food safety and animal welfare, and that its latest advertising had been fully vetted to avoid any potential ambiguity.
“This case risks creating confusion for both consumers and advertisers about what constitutes an environmental claim,” added Moseley, who last month revealed he is to retire April 2026 after nine years at the company.
“We respect the ASA’s role, but we urge a more balanced, evidence-based approach.”
In August, Red Tractor appointed marketing agency WPR to deliver an upcoming major consumer PR, social and influencer campaign, marking 25 years since the assurance scheme’s logo first appeared on packs.
