The Red Tractor Label, HP Westwood and Meat Wholesale

Meat wholesale suppliers up and down the country have been clamouring to get their hands on the all important Red Tractor certification for many years now. But no one seems to be asking the question, why is this label so important? And perhaps more specifically, why does this matter to a Midlands based wholesale butchers such as HP Westwood? 

Red Tractor’s Background

Established in 2000, Red Tractor is an industry- leading food chain assurance scheme that proudly supports the exceptional standards of British food and drinks. Companies and individuals who work with Red Tractor certified farmers understand that the meat has been produced in accordance with high level animal welfare regulations. They have also simultaneously safeguarding against any potentially damaging environmental impact. 

Quality and Meat Wholesale

When a customer picks up an item at the supermarket, such as the new chain-exclusive Sirloin steak or even something as simple as a bag of carrots, and they see the Red Tractor label, they can rest assured that the product has been rigorously audited from the beginning of the farming process, all the way to the store shelves. 

With such an extensive testing and auditing regime you might think Red Tractor would not have time to establish an expansive portfolio of farms; however, this is not the case. Red Tractor already have 50,000 British farms working towards these extremely high world-leading standards. They have worked tirelessly to ensure that their assurance covers the entire food chain process. This includes working with over 450 independent inspectors to carry out well over 60,000 checks a year. 

Pride of the UK

Red Tractor do more than just sport the Union Jack on their now famous stamp of approval. They provide genuine care for farms and the agriculture industry nationally. This is perfectly illustrated by the UK’s Trust in Food Index campaign which Red Tractor ran with YouGov.

Animal Welfare 

We are fully aware that terms like ‘slaughterhouse’ and ‘abattoir’ can carry quite negative connotations. However, the Red Tractor label illustrates that products sourced in this chain have been audited to the highest possible regulations regarding animal welfare and wellbeing. If products bare the Red Tractor label; you know the livestock used for our meat wholesale are healthy, have ample living space as well as having access to clean water. 

Why is the Red Tractor Label so Important to HP Westwood?

Firstly, exclusivity. With the Red Tractor label being plastered over £14 billion worth of British food and drink; you might be forgiven for thinking it is easy to achieve such a label. However, in 2020 alone nearly 3,000 farms were suspended from the scheme as they did not meet Red Tractor’s extremely high standards. 

In addition, the scheme takes considerable pride in showcasing the best of British farms and local businesses. Red Tractor launched the UK’s Trust in Food Index campaign which gathered the opinions of 3,500 adults across the UK.  From their findings, they established that British customers overwhelmingly trust in the quality of UK food. In fact; an incredible 84% of people trust in food bought from a supermarket. This is significantly higher than the percentage of people who trust the judicial services! For more information on the the UK’s Trust in the Food Index; please check out Red Tractor’s full campaign on their website which details how the campaign was conducted as well as containing other great content. 

HP Westwood being a community driven wholesale butchers who are proud to represent Staffordshire. We also proudly support and admire the great care Red Tractor take. They go to great length to ensure the British consumer feels confident in their all important meat purchases. Be sure to check at our extensive range of products which as you might have already guessed, are Red Tractor assured.