Red Tractor ad banned for misleading environmental claims
Red Tractor, the UK's top farm product certifier, has been barred from exaggerating the scheme's environmental benefits and misleading the general. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that the company had insufficient evidence
that its farms followed basic environmental regulations to back up the claims in its ad. River Action, an environmental group that filed the lawsuit in 2023, said the decision showed that the scheme was greenwashing
and warned supermarkets not to use it. Red Tractor called the watchdog's decision fundamentally flawed
and said that the scheme was intended to address animal welfare rather than environmental requirements.
All our requirements are met,
Red Tractor's commercial said in 2021. Your food is farmed with care when the Red Tractor is around. " You can watch it below.
River Action, an environmental charity, challenged the ad, which lasted for two years, and reported to the watchdog that Red Tractor farms would ensure a high degree of environmental protection
to consumers. The charity referred to an Environment Agency report in 2020, which looked at how many breaches of environmental law there were on Red Tractor farms in the last five years. These farms were
the study found. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which was one of the longest serving agencies, upheld the complaint after more than two years of probe (one of the oldest running). Red Tractor had failed to producenot currently an indicator of good environmental results,
sufficient evidencethat its farms followed
basicenvironmental legislation and had a positive environmental record, according to the ad. It also found that the advertisement was
misleadingand
exaggeratedthe benefits of the program. River Action applauded the ASA's decision and called on supermarkets to take action.
Amy Fairman, the head of River Action's campaigns, said.What this shows is that Red Tractor has been misleading the public and their suppliers,
She continued that contesting such advertisements was important because of the danger that agricultural pollution poses to the climate. Agriculture was one of the most common reasons preventing rivers from being in good health in 2022, according to the Environment Audit Committee, which affects 40% of them. Slurry and pesticide runoff are among the environmental hazards that can be detrimental to the ecosystem.We're trying to get to the bottom of what's on their shelves, like supermarkets.
However, Red Tractor, a company that promises 45,000 farms in the United Kingdom, has retaliated, saying the ASA's findings are fundamentally flawed.
They believe that we have implied an environmental assertion,
He argued that the ASA only found that a minority of people would believe the commercial meant that Red Tractor farms had high environmental standards, and that the program is focusing on other topics.Jim Mosley, CEO of Red Tractor, told the BBC. There is no evidence in the voiceover or photographs that makes any environmental assertion.
We leave it entirely to the Environment Agency to enforce environmental laws as a result,Red Tractor's primary aim is to ensure food safety, animal welfare, and traceability. Although we have certain environmental guidelines in place, they are only a small part.
Correct.Mr Moseley said. When asked if that meant Red Tractor does not know if its farms are complying with environmental legislation, he replied,
However, many supermarkets do refer to the Red Tractor farms' environmental benefits.
Red Tractor's head of agriculture said last month, and over the past 25 years, the company has remained a symbol of quality, advocating for. Environmental protection.Certification schemes play a key role in customer assurance,
environmental protection.100% of the fresh pork, beef, lamb, eggs, cheese, milk, and cheddar cheese we sell in our shops comes from farms that have been approved by Red Tractor or an approved equivalent program, giving customers the security of knowing.
We know there's still more to do, and we know that the government and industry must work together to push forward change.When asked if they stuck by the Red Tractor emblem, both supermarkets said no. Morrisons did not reply to a request for clarification.
Retailers remain committed to working with Red Tractor," the consortium said, but that the company itself is the trustees of the scheme.The BBC was also referred to the British Retail Consortium, which was also responsible for the BBC's sector body.
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