Morrisons has stood behind farmers as they protest against the government’s proposed inheritance tax changes, which are set to affect agricultural estates valued over £1m.

The supermarket’s head of agriculture, Sophie Throup, took to social media to back the farming community’s opposition to the controversial tax raid, describing the measures as a threat to small, family-run farms.

Speaking in a video posted on Saturday (11 January), Throup reinforced Morrisons’ commitment to the farming community, acknowledging their frustration over the planned changes announced in the Labour government’s Autumn Budget.

“We understand your anger and your frustrations at the inheritance tax – and we’re with you,” Throup said.

“We share your concerns about the long-term future the inheritance tax is going to have on farms – particularly smaller, family farms – and we know that you want something done about it. We’ve been raising these concerns at the highest level of Government since November last year and we will continue to do so.”

Farmers are set to protest outside grocers across Britain on Friday (17 January) against the tax raid on inherited agricultural land.

Encouraging farmers to contact her directly, she said: “We know it’s important, we are with you, we’re here to help you. If you want to talk to me, please message me. We are here to help.”

A message to British Farmers from Morrisons – we’re with you and support you pic.twitter.com/9hfp1pluBj

— Morrisons (@Morrisons) January 11, 2025

The comments come after planned changes from the government for farming estates worth over £1m to be liable for 20% inheritance tax from April 2026.

The row comes amid Morrisons’ own difficulties in recent months, as the supermarket faced operational chaos over the Christmas period, including supply chain disruptions and issues with its loyalty program, which impacted customers’ ability to access discounts.

The retailer issued an apology last month as customers were unable to access discounts on their festive shopping due to issues with the More loyalty card system.

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