Pressure is mounting on major supermarkets as Farmers for Action (FFA) enters its third week of protests in Northern Ireland over inheritance tax and farm income concerns.
Activists gathered outside the Tesco superstore in The Meadows, Portadown, County Armagh, on Thursday night (February 12) as part of what the group is calling the IHT Phase 2 campaign.
The protests center around inheritance tax (IHT) changes that come into force from April 2026 and what the FFA describes as posing a long-term threat to the succession and survival of family farms.
Despite the bad weather, demonstrators handed out flyers to shoppers coming out of stores.
FFA’s Sean McCauley said they were “well received” and highlighted the involvement of younger members of the farming community.
“The main character of the protest was young farmer Blake, 12 years old, who braved the cold and rain to fight with enthusiasm,” he said, adding that the young man went the “extra effort” by handing out leaflets directly to customers.
FFA’s William Taylor said the aim of the second stage of the campaign was to encourage 11 of the UK’s largest food retailers to publicly respond to four questions sent to chief executives, requiring them to respond by March 1, 2026.
Among them is the question: “Would you lobby the government to remove IHT?”
Mr Taylor claimed Tesco and Asda had already publicly stated that they supported suspending or reconsidering inheritance tax. FarmingUK has contacted the retailer for comment.
The FFA is also calling on supermarkets to lobby ministers to introduce a UK-wide farm welfare bill to ensure family farmers receive at least the actual cost of production plus a margin linked to inflation.
The group is also calling on retailers to challenge international food exchange, which it says contributes to climate change, and to support stronger import regulations and clearer labeling standards.
The protests in Northern Ireland are part of a growing wave of farmer-led demonstrations across the UK, which have also so far included supermarket in-store protests in parts of England until 2026.
The demonstrations have targeted major retailers and distribution hubs, with activists highlighting low Farmgate returns, rising input costs and growing concerns about the future of family farming.
The campaign comes amid growing pressure on agricultural profitability and succession planning, with many family-run businesses already facing rising costs and uncertainty about future policies.
FFA said it is currently awaiting responses from retailers by the March deadline.
The group has confirmed its next protest will take place outside Tesco in Cookstown, County Tyrone, as part of its continued push for fairer taxation and supply chain reform.
