LEAF Marque is undergoing a period of unprecedented growth as an increasing number of retailers and independent food brands choose LEAF Marque certification to accelerate their global sustainability commitments across their supply chains. Our long standing partnership continues with Waitrose and M&S and more recently, we forged new alliances with Tesco, Lidl, PepsiCo and Booths.

This is a hugely significant and transformative moment in LEAF’s 30 year history. Increasingly, the value of LEAF Marque in offering a robust, credible and independent third party mechanism to reward and recognise good sustainable farming practice is being recognised.

LEAF Marque has entered a new era and we expect uptake of LEAF Marque across the retail sector to continue. To celebrate and reflect this time of growth, we are extremely proud and excited to unveil our new LEAF Marque logo. It is very much an evolution of our current logo and represents a bold statement. The styling is clearly identifiable on pack, fresh, applicable to all farming sectors and crucially, relatable to consumers.

Read our full press release here.

Questions & Answers

Below you will find a general Q&A, with information on transitioning to the new logo and Claims & Labelling.

GENERAL

Why has LEAF decided to change the LEAF Marque logo?

The new LEAF Marque logo is part of our vibrant new brand identity for LEAF Marque and represents a major milestone for us, following the increasing growth of LEAF Marque across the retail sector and major food brands. To celebrate and recognise this time of growth, we thought the time was right to refresh the LEAF Marque logo.

A fresh, modernized logo, with a sleeker and more dynamic look and feel on product packaging, will show consumers that the food they are purchasing has been produced sustainably with care for the environment.

What does the new LEAF Marque logo stand for?

Our new LEAF Marque logo is a simple visual to help consumers make more sustainable purchasing decisions. It shows them that farmers are committed to more sustainable, regenerative farming practices, delivered through Integrated Farm Management. The LEAF Marque logo represents our vision of a global farming and food system that delivers climate positive action, builds resilience and supports the health, diversity and enrichment of our food, farms the environment and society.

How did LEAF develop the new logo?

A number of consumer consultations were carried out to determine which design option was most preferred, which stands out on front of pack, how each option fares in ranking across 6 key criteria, and how differentiated these are compared to other similar logos.

The 6 key criteria were:

Elicits key nonconscious associations like ‘high quality’ ‘healthy’

Is perceived to be important when buying

Ranks highest when in the context of other common pack logos

Is easiest to identify as the LEAF logo

Is most preferred on a rational level

The new LEAF Marque logo reflects the key takeaways from our consumer and stakeholder consultations. Namely, the need for the logo to stand out on pack, a more modernized design; greater consumer recognition and ability to better communicate what LEAF Marque stands for and our broader organisational values.

How does the new logo differ from the old one, why is it better, and what is the added value for companies?

The new logo is a vital part of our vibrant new brand identify and reflects LEAF Marque’s continual growth and evolution. With a sleeker, dynamic and more versatile design, it stands out on pack, is applicable to all farming sectors and is relatable to consumers.

TRANSITIONING TO THE NEW LOGO

When should my business switch to the new LEAF Marque logo?

There are no binding deadlines for the introduction of the new LEAF Marque logo. We are asking that for:

Packaging use: the new logo is introduced to packaging over the next 18 months, so as not to incur waste of existing packaging stocks. During this time if you are redesigning your packaging, please use the new logo.

Digital use e.g. websites: please change to the high resolution version of the new logo as soon as possible.

What happens with the old LEAF Marque logo?

The new LEAF Marque logo replaces the current one. However, the implementation of the new logo and the phasing out of the old one will take some time. In practice, this means that the two LEAF Marque logos will co-exist in the market in the coming 18 month period. Although they look different, they are all part of the one LEAF family, and represent our vision of a global farming and food system that delivers climate positive action, builds resilience and supports the health, diversity and enrichment of our food, farms the environment and society.

Do the same guidelines in terms of transition and timelines apply to traders and farms?

Yes, the same LEAF Marque Claims & Labelling License requirements will apply to all businesses buying and selling from LEAF Marque certified businesses, including the farms themselves.

CLAIMS & LABELLING AGREEMENTS

Do certified businesses need to sign a new Claims & Labelling Licence in order to use the new LEAF Marque logo?

No. There is no need to make any changes to your existing Claims & Labelling Licence.

As a reminder a licence is required where:

you are the primary supplier of products using the LEAF Marque logo to retailers or food service providers. Logo use includes on packaging or other point of sale materials

you are a brand using the LEAF Marque logo on your packaging or point of sale materials

you are making a sustainability claim which references LEAF Marque

Our Brand Guidelines are available here. Full info on our Claims & Labelling requirements can be found here.