Morrisons secures injunction to prevent farmer protests

Morrisons has taken legal action to prevent further protests at its UK food distribution centres, following a tractor blockade at its Bridgwater site in Somerset earlier this month.

The supermarket giant has sought a High Court injunction to safeguard its operations from disruption by Farmers To Action and other groups, citing concerns over the potential for further protests and blockades at eight of its key sites.

See also: Farmers take tractors to supermarkets in IHT protest

The legal move follows a protest on 10 January 2025, when members of Farmers To Action used tractors to block the entrance to Morrisons’ Bridgwater distribution centre, disrupting operations and supply chains.

The protest was made amid a wider campaign by UK farmers to highlight concerns about the Labour government’s “anti-farming” policies, especially plans to introduce farm inheritance tax (IHT) from April 2026.

In addition, the cash flow crisis engulfing farming is also being hit hard by low farmgate prices, rising input costs, and what industry sees as an unfair balance between farmers and retailers.

On Thursday 16 January, the High Court granted Morrisons the injunction, which prohibits anyone from entering the distribution centres or creating blockades that impede traffic to and from the sites.

The injunction covers not only the company’s eight main distribution hubs but also the access roads leading to them.

Anyone found in violation of the order could face serious legal consequences, including imprisonment, fines, or the seizure of assets.

Morrisons’ statement

In a statement following the court ruling, Morrisons explained that while it sympathises with the challenges faced by UK farmers, the company must also protect its business and the integrity of the food supply chain.

“We are Britain’s biggest customer of UK farming, and we support the concerns of farmers.

“However, we need to ensure that we can continue to operate and serve our customers across the UK without disruption,” the statement read.

The decision to seek an injunction follows mounting pressure from protests, and Morrisons warned that the risk of further actions from protest groups posed a serious threat to the company’s operations and the wider supply chain.

Morrisons has assured its farming partners that it remains committed to working closely with them to address the issues that matter most, while stressing the importance of maintaining uninterrupted operations to ensure food security for its customers.

Supermarket visits

In a separate move on Friday 17 January, hundreds of farmers drove their tractors to dozens of supermarket car parks across the UK to demand fairer treatment from both the government and retailers.

The supermarket visits were co-ordinated by the coalition of farmers behind the recent London Farming Rally.

However, the organisers asked those taking part not to include Morrisons after it expressed solidarity for farmers in their IHT battle.