Dozens of Labour MPs have written a letter to the UK's six largest retailers raising concerns over 'farmwashing' and unfair business practices.
The 46 MPs have put into the spotlight the stark reality of supermarket buying behaviour, despite many declaring themselves as champions of British farmers.
Organised by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter, MP for Suffolk Coastal, the letter, sent to the CEOs of Sainsbury’s, Asda, Tesco, Aldi, Lidl UK, and Morrisons, warns that UK farming is 'in crisis'.
It reads: "Farmers have told many of the co-signed that their relationship with you is often characterised by your own pursuit of excessive profit, rather than - as you have claimed - a fair business relationship.
"As you will be aware, British farming is in crisis, and the farming industry is rightly demanding a better deal from the supermarkets that control and dictate much of the UK's food supply chain.
“In a world where farmers and producers are struggling to make a living, and relying on government grants and subsidies so they can survive from one year to the next, this can’t be seen as fair or right."
Recognising the enormous risk carried by farmers, the MPs express concerns over retailers failing in their moral and commercial obligations towards farmers.
They name 'farmwashing' as a growing trend, which is the use of fake farm brands and British flags to give shoppers a false impression of local, family-farmed produce.
Organic veg box company Riverford coined the term last year in its campaign to expose such misleading practices adopted by retailers.
The campaign called on the UK's largest supermarkets to be more transparent about the reality of where their food comes from and how it is produced.
And Riverford's other campaign, #getfairaboutfarming, urged retailers to treat farmers more fairly and address the failings in their buying behaviour as farmers were 'on the brink'.
Responding to the MPs' new letter, Riverford said: "This is welcome news, it's imperative that supermarkets address these vital concerns, and take action to meaningfully support British farmers.
"Research that we carried out in 2024 concluded that 61% of farmers feared having to give up their farm in the next 18 months.
"Only 1 in 4 farmers (24%) thought that supermarket claims to support British farmers were credible and backed up by their buying behaviour."