'Marketing blunder': Farmer orders Tesco to remove picture of him on a marketing campaign

The picture used without the farmer's permission
The picture used without the farmer's permission

An organic farmer has ordered Tesco to take down a photograph of him from its website.

The Devon farmer has had Tesco remove a picture of him from it's marketing campaigns after speaking out to say he had never supplied the supermarket chain, and the use of the image was 'inappropriate'.

Martin Godfrey said he had never supplied Tesco and was surprised to find the picture being used on the firm's website.

Tesco has apologised to Mr Godfery, of Okehampton, for using the picture taken when he worked at Shillingford Organics in Exeter 10 years ago.

The supermarket chain acquired the image through an agency.

'Marketing blunder'

A Tesco spokesman said: "We work tirelessly to support farmers and suppliers and we are sorry for any upset that has been caused."

Mr Godfrey, who campaigns with the Land Workers' Alliance, said the picture was a "marketing blunder".

He told the BBC: "This inappropriate use of the organic farming image and myself... was taken whilst working at Shillingford Organics some 10 years ago, which has no connection to Tesco whatsoever."

Tesco has promised not to use the image in future promotions. The retailer has offered to donate £1,000 to a local charity, Mr Godfrey said.

He said he appreciated the supermarket was "doing something about food waste" and suggested other chains should do the same.

The image has since been removed from the supermarket's online promotions, but remains printed in some of its magazines.