The supermarket chain that pays the highest price for milk in the industry has said retailers have a “responsibility” to look after suppliers in the midst of a bruising row between farmers and grocers over dairy pricing. Booths has committed to paying the highest price to suppliers for their milk, and Chris Dee, chief executive of the Preston-based grocer, said: “There is no point squeezing suppliers until they go bust” and that there had to be “give and take” in the relationship between retailers and farmers.

Aldi, Lidl, Asda and Morrisons agreed last week to increase the amount they pay for milk after farmers blockaded distribution centres and brought cows into supermarkets in protest at the price they were receiving. The National Farmers Union said there was a “state of emergency” in farming after a 25% fall in the farmgate price of milk in the last year, which means it is below the cost of production for many farmers. Read more.