The end of salary secrecy? What new pay transparency means for fresh produce

The UK government has announced plans to make salary disclosure mandatory in job advertisements. But what will this mean for employers and recruitment consultancies across agriculture, horticulture, fresh produce and agri-tech?

At Redfox Executive Selection we’ve spent over 22 years helping businesses attract exceptional talent, from specialist operational roles through to commercial directors, growing directors, managing directors, and board-level appointments.

Throughout that time, one question has consistently divided opinion: should employers publish salaries when advertising vacancies?

For many businesses, phrases such as ‘competitive salary’ or ‘attractive remuneration package’  have long been the norm. That could soon change.

What’s happening?

On 5 November 2026 the government announced plans for a new ‘say what you pay’ law, which would require salary information to be included in job advertisements. The proposals also envisage candidates receiving salary information before interview where positions aren’t publicly advertised.

Importantly, this is not yet law, and the precise requirements, implementation timetable, and enforcement arrangements remain to be confirmed. However, the direction of travel is clear.

Why does this matter to our sectors?

Recruitment across agriculture, horticulture and fresh produce is often highly specialised. Two growing manager positions, for example, might carry the same title but involve vastly different responsibilities, production areas, budgets, and commercial expectations.

Likewise, remuneration packages can include bonuses, accommodation, vehicles, healthcare, and other benefits. A salary figure without context can be just as misleading as no salary figure at all.

Nevertheless, greater transparency could bring genuine benefits. Candidates would better understand whether opportunities meet their expectations, employers could avoid lengthy recruitment processes that ultimately fail over salary, and businesses might be encouraged to review their existing remuneration structures.

What challenges do employers need to consider?

There are several important questions:

Internal salary comparisons: What happens when an existing employee discovers a similar position is being advertised at a significantly higher salary?

Confidential recruitment: How will businesses manage senior appointments involving succession planning, restructuring, or commercially sensitive expansion?

Salary flexibility: Will employers retain sufficient freedom to negotiate with exceptional candidates whose experience could deliver substantial commercial value?

Total remuneration: How will bonuses, accommodation, vehicles, and other benefits be reflected in advertised packages?

These issues are particularly relevant to our sectors, where specialist expertise and commercial responsibilities can vary considerably.

What about recruitment consultancies?

The proposed changes could also affect recruitment agencies advertising vacancies on behalf of clients. The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has argued that responsibility for providing accurate salary information should rest with employers, rather than recruitment consultancies being held liable for information supplied by clients. The final legislation will need to clarify this.

In the meantime, we’d encourage employers and recruitment partners to agree realistic salary expectations before launching a search. It’s simply good recruitment practice.

Are businesses paying enough to attract the talent they need?

There’s another important dimension to this debate. Greater transparency may expose the gap between what some businesses believe a position should cost and what the market requires to attract the right individual.

We’ve seen employers seeking candidates capable of transforming operations, developing major customer relationships, or delivering significant profitable growth, yet offering remuneration that doesn’t always reflect those expectations.

If someone could materially improve your business’s performance, shouldn’t the conversation be as much about the value they could create as the salary they command? Particularly at senior level, recruitment should be about commercial contribution, not simply filling a vacancy.

What should employers do now?

Although the legislation has yet to be finalised, there are five sensible steps businesses can take:

1. Review existing salaries against internal responsibilities and market expectations. Redfox offers clients a fully bespoke salary benchmarking survey to support informed and competitive remuneration decisions.
2. Establish realistic salary ranges before advertising vacancies.
3. Consider total remuneration, including bonuses, accommodation and benefits.
4. Prepare for confidential recruitment, particularly at senior management and board level.
5. Communicate openly with existing employees about remuneration, progression and fairness.

What is Redfox’s view?

At Redfox Executive Selection we broadly welcome greater transparency. Candidates deserve clarity, and employers benefit from more focused and efficient recruitment processes. But the government must recognise the complexities of specialist recruitment, particularly where roles, responsibilities and remuneration structures differ considerably.

Salary transparency should improve recruitment, not restrict the flexibility businesses need to attract exceptional people. Ultimately, the most successful employers will still be those offering compelling opportunities, strong leadership, genuine career development, and the chance to make a meaningful commercial difference.

Salary matters. But so do ambition, culture, responsibility, and opportunity. And those conversations will remain just as important, whatever the legislation eventually requires.