Ocado has launched a ‘Buy Women Built’ section online, which sells more than 1,000 products made by female entrepreneurs.

Buy Women Built banners have launched across Ocado’s app, website and an ‘Inspire Me’ tab today.

The campaign, set up by Coffee Republic founder Sahar Hashemi who persuaded Ocado to launch the initiative, is designed to boost sales at female-founded firms.

Ocado has collated 130 brands created by women, some of which are new to the online supermarket, and include well-know brands Little Moons ice cream and Pip & Nut peanut butter, alongside start-ups such as All Dressed Up sauces.

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Ocado Retail chief executive Hannah Gibson told The Sunday Times: “There are far fewer women entrepreneurs out there and we want to support that community.”

Hashemi added: “This isn’t patronising — it’s signposting. Female entrepreneurship rates in the UK are 30% behind other developed countries. 

“Confidence is a huge issue — women don’t feel they’ve got what it takes. Showing people that so many brands are in fact created by women leads more female entrepreneurs to think, ‘We can do this.’ It’s a way to make future generations see the power of women.”

The Buy Women Built initiative follows a recent campaign to get shoppers to Buy British, which saw a raft of supermarkets create online sections to help shoppers choose British grown food.