‘It comes at a cost’: British growers criticise Christmas vegetable price war

Supermarkets slash the cost of vegetables to lure Christmas shoppers - but are low prices taking too great a toll on Britain's farmers?

Ten years ago, marketing executives at Britain's biggest supermarket had a brainwave: might slashing the price of basic vegetables tempt shoppers to do their Christmas shop with them?

Tesco, under chief executive Dave Lewis, was trying to revive a business reeling after falling sales, five profit warnings and an accounting scandal. That promotion in December 2014, dubbed its Festive Five, offered bags of carrots, potatoes, brussels sprouts, parsnips and a cauliflower for 49p each.