Video: Trolley dash protests show no sign of slowing

Trolley dash protests at major supermarkets, to highlight the low prices farmers receive for producing milk and meat, have continued to escalate over the past 24 hours.

Producers were out in force at stores across Shropshire, Somerset and Lancashire on Tuesday (4 August).

In Shropshire, groups of farmers targeted an Asda store in Telford and a Morrisons in Oswestry.

See also: Farmers stage night of multiple milk protests

(Video courtesy of Rob Manford)

During previous protests farmers have loaded milk into their trolleys and then either left it by the tills or bought it and then handed it out to the public.

But farmers took a different tack at the protest in Oswestry, moving the milk to the bottled water aisle to make a point about the relative values of milk and water.

Protesters who attended a trolley dash in Wells, Somerset, were also joined by Conservative MP James Heappey in a show of solidarity for their campaign.

Farm leaders have warned that farmers have felt forced to take action because of the financial devastation facing them and their families.

According to latest Defra figures, the average farmgate price of milk fell to a five-year low in June.

The average price paid to UK farmers was 23.66p/litre, which was 25% lower than in June 2014 and the lowest price seen since May 2010.

Many producers are also being paid far less than this, as the average is inflated by the higher prices paid to those farmers on aligned supermarket contracts.