MP welcomes Christine Tacon as first Supermarket ombudsman

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has welcomed the appointment of Christine Tacon as the first ever Supermarket Ombudsman. Tim will be inviting Christine Tacon to come to Cumbria and meet farmers and producers to hear their issues first hand.

The announcement was made in a ministerial statement this morning by Lib Dem Minister Jo Swinson MP and has been greeted by Tim as 'a good day for farmers'. The Grocery Adjudicator Bill, which is currently at Report Stage in the House of Commons and was significantly strengthened thanks to the lobbying of Tim and other rural MP's, is expected to receive Royal Assent in the next couple of months.

Christine Tacon has a background in both food production and in retail, having held senior corporate responsibility within the Co-operative Group and running the largest farming operation in the UK. Since leaving the Co-op she has chaired the BBC Rural Affairs Advisory Committee. She was awarded a CBE for services to agriculture in 2004.

Tim said: "This is great news and I would like to congratulate Christine on her appointment. I will be inviting her to Cumbria to hear from farmers first hand about the issues that local farmers and producers face. What is important now is that she should be a strong and pro active regulator and deals with the unfairness that farmers and consumers face and stands up to the supermarkets."