The ‘Farmers Against Farmwashing’ campaign challenges major UK supermarkets accused of misleading consumers.
- Farmers allege that supermarkets employ fake farm branding to deceive shoppers about product origins.
- Riverford founder Guy Singh-Watson leads the call for more transparency in the food supply chain.
- Campaigners claim imported goods are misrepresented as locally sourced, affecting British farming.
- The movement receives support from MPs and public figures demanding fair treatment of farmers.
A campaign dubbed ‘Farmers Against Farmwashing’ has emerged, targeting the UK’s top six supermarkets for alleged deceptive practices. This initiative, driven by Guy Singh-Watson of Riverford, accuses these grocery giants of misleading consumers through fake farm branding. Supermarkets such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons, Aldi, and Lidl allegedly brand foreign products as originating from ‘quaint British family farms,’ creating a false narrative for shoppers.
The campaign highlights that a significant portion of food marketed as British is, in fact, imported from overseas industrial farms. This misrepresentation harms local agriculture by undermining genuine British farming efforts. Advocates argue that this practice not only violates consumer trust but also contributes to the decline of traditional farming in the UK.
According to Singh-Watson, ‘British farming is at a breaking point.’ He emphasizes the public’s interest in the authenticity of their food sources and criticizes supermarkets for exploiting this trust to ‘hoodwink shoppers.’ Singh-Watson calls for a transformation in supermarket policies towards greater honesty and fair dealings with farmers. ‘Supermarkets must stop exploiting farmers and start supporting them,’ he asserts, urging a collective push towards a more resilient and fair food system.
The campaign has gained traction with support from television personality Jimmy Doherty and eleven cross-party MPs. These supporters have rallied behind an open letter addressed to the CEOs of the leading supermarkets, advocating for sincere support of UK farmers. The campaign suggests that if consumers were aware of the reality, they would be willing to pay more to support genuine UK farming efforts.
Historically, supermarkets have faced criticism over their use of so-called ‘fake farm’ branding. Reports from 2017 indicated that major chains like Tesco, Aldi, Asda, and Lidl were accused of using such marketing tactics on their own-brand meat products, a move seen as misleading to consumers. This ongoing dispute underscores the need for a shift in how supermarkets represent their products to the public.
The ‘Farmers Against Farmwashing’ campaign continues to push for integrity in agricultural sourcing and supermarket branding.
