Supermarkets in the UK are facing pressure over their treatment of farmers, as campaigners and MPs called for urgent reform of the food supply chain.

At a roundtable held in the House of Commons yesterday (2 September) , MPs, peers, and farming representatives discussed the growing imbalance of power between retailers and growers.

Campaigners argued that the current system is “failing farmers” and “not fit for purpose,” and called for a single, central regulator with the authority to enforce fair practices.

The proposals, backed by almost 30 MPs, recommend merging the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) and the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator (ASCA) into a single body.

Supporters say the combined regulator would be better equipped to address issues such as late payments and last-minute order cancellations, which have persisted despite previous oversight.

Andrew George, Liberal Democrat MP for St Ives, introduced the proposals, with cross-party support from MPs including Labour’s Rebecca Long Bailey and Conservative Sir John Hayes, a co-founder of the GCA in 2013.

Hayes has criticised the existing regulator’s limited powers, describing supermarkets as “economic tyrants” with “little mercy.”

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Riverford founder Guy Singh-Watson, whose company launched the #GetFairAboutFarming campaign two years ago, said: “For too long, supermarkets have been left unchecked. British farmers are faced with last-minute cancellations, delayed payments, and rock-bottom prices.

“Riverford’s Get Fair About Farming campaign revealed 67% of farmers fear being delisted if they speak out, and three-quarters say supermarket behaviour is their biggest concern.

“I urge MPs to stand with farmers and call on the government to create a single, central watchdog with real teeth, and that is strong enough to hold supermarkets to account, help to rebalance the system, and give farmers the security to farm well rather than worry whether they’ll be paid.”

The campaign has also been supported by Sustain, a food and farming alliance, which highlighted the economic pressures on growers. Georgina Edwards of Sustain said: “Now is a crucial time for addressing the power imbalance between the people that produce our food and the retailers that sell it.”

Campaigners are urging the public to contact their MPs in support of stronger oversight, framing the move as essential to protecting both farmers’ livelihoods and the long-term sustainability of UK food production.