Riverford founder Guy Singh-Watson has accused UK supermarkets of “blatant hypocrisy” over their “sudden support” for farmers protesting against Government inheritance tax plans. 

At least eight major supermarkets have recently signalled their support for farmers fighting a Government plan for a 50% reduction in inheritance tax relief on farms and properties valued at over £1 million, and are backing an NFU call for a “pause” in the rollout of the reforms. 

Singh-Watson told The Grocer: ”Are farmers really going to fall for this? The truth is, if supermarkets paid farmers fairly in the first place, they wouldn’t be in a situation where they can’t afford to pay tax.” 

Singh-Watson launched Riverford Organic’s veg box delivery scheme in 1993 as a direct response to the exploitative practices of supermarkets that he and other farmers were subjected to. He says that one supermarket buyer’s comment that “when we whistle sonny, you jump” characterised the relationship. 

For the last two years Singh Watson has been leading the Farmers Against Farmwashing campaign, which sets out to expose supermarket ‘fake farms’. “The reason that so many farmers are having it so tough is that they don’t get paid a fair price for their produce by the supermarkets.”

Questioned on the BBC’s Today programme about claims that the government’s inheritance tax plan threatens national food security, Singh Watson said: “That’s just a ridiculous argument. Someone will farm the land. If we want food security we need to have a proper agricultural policy, and ensure farmers are paid proper prices.”

In 2024 Riverford delivered 3.2 million boxes, generating sales of sounds £110 million. 

Main image: Guy Singh-Watson, leads the Farmers Against Farmwashing campaign. Riverford.