Prince Criticises Supermarket Bosses

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Tuesday, 19 November 2002

Supermarket bosses have been reprimanded by Prince Charles at a top-level gathering at Highgrove for failing to support British farmers.

The Prince of Wales invited the industry's leading lights and farming friends to his Gloucestershire estate on Friday.

The evening was described as a social gathering and the Prince's long-term partner, Camilla Parker Bowles, was at his side.

But top of the agenda at the informal soiree was the raw deal farmers feel they receive at the hands of the national retailers.

A spokesman for the Prince's household said: "It is well known that this is a subject very close to Prince Charles's heart. There are huge problems facing the farming industry and he wants to explore ways of improving the relationship between the retailers and British farmers."

The spokesman for Prince Charles said: "Farmers are still under terrible economic pressure.

"Many are being forced to leave the land. This was an opportunity to see if there was anything more that can be done to link people together."

But last night farmers' leaders in the West called for concrete policies to tackle the problem instead of informal meetings.

Ian Johnson, NFU spokesman in the West, said: "It is all very well Prince Charles wagging his finger at the supermarket bosses but we need cast-iron policies from the Government."

Source: Western Daily Press 18 Nov 02