Tesco used London Tech Week 2026 to push for wider adoption of low-carbon fertilisers and farming methods across the UK food sector. The retailer's UK CEO Ashwin Prasad said promising technologies too often stall at the pilot stage and never reach mainstream farms. Tesco pointed to its Low Carbon Concept Farm in Lincolnshire, where trials with potato supplier Branston cut carbon emissions by 50% without reducing yield or crop quality. Around 500 tonnes of those potatoes sold in Tesco stores earlier this year. The company wants industry-wide collaboration to overcome barriers like limited availability of low-carbon inputs and lack of funding for farm trials. Tesco also relaunched its Agri-tech Challenge, inviting startups to submit solutions for sustainability and productivity on farms. Winners get to trial their tech with Tesco suppliers and receive a year of Agri-TechE membership. The push comes as volatile global fertiliser markets continue to pressure UK farm businesses.
