The RSPCA’s ethical food label RSPCA Assured - previously Freedom Food - has achieved a 33% general consumer recognition in its first year.
This is an increase of 120% from 15% when the label first launched in May 2015.
The figure increases to 41% awareness amongst RSPCA Assured’s target market, of young professionals and families, representing a 116% increase (from 19% in May 2015).
This news comes as RSPCA Assured also announces 120 new product lines since the label first hit supermarket shelves last year.
These include new lines in Aldi, Co-op, Iceland, Lidl, Ocado and Sainsbury’s, bringing the total number of RSPCA Assured products in retail to more than 1,000.
Mary Dunn, Communications Director at Aldi UK, says: "Animal welfare is hugely important to our customers and to Aldi as a business.
"We are proud to be the second largest retailer of RSPCA Assured products in the UK. Our entire range of Specially Selected fresh British pork products and free range chicken are RSPCA Assured.
"The RSPCA Assured logo is clear and recognisable to our customers, helping them to make informed choices about the products they buy."
'Improve the lives of a further 100 million farm animals'
The amount of food carrying the Freedom Food/RSPCA Assured label increased about 16% between 2014 and 2015 and is forecasted to increase a further 23% by the end of 2016, compared to 2015.
RSPCA Assured estimates that the amount of labelled food could increase by as much as 200% by 2020 due to an increase in consumer demand.
It also predicts the new label could help improve the lives of a further 100 million farm animals, plus many millions of farmed salmon and trout during the same period.
Liam Kurzeja, marketing manager for RSPCA Assured, puts the success of the new label down to its simplicity.
"We are always hearing in the media about how confused shoppers are by all the different food logos and what they mean.
"So we decided to launch a new label that is what it says it is - RSPCA Assured means good farm animal welfare.
"I think the result of our polling is testament to the fact we’ve got our proposition right.
"We’re confident awareness will continue to grow and RSPCA Assured will firmly establish itself as the only label to choose, if you care about farm animal welfare.”
The increase in recognition of the new label follows a year long campaign to boost awareness which included seasonal bursts of TV, online, and Facebook advertising. Further advertising is planned this year and in 2017.
