TV chef needs £86k for Tesco egg fight

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is seeking to raise £86,000 to take his free-range egg campaign to Tesco shareholders.

The television chef wants to propose at the supermarket's annual general meeting that it should only stock products from suppliers meeting RSPCA standards.

Tesco told him he must pay £86,000 for the distribution of documents to all its shareholders.

Fearnley-Whittingstall is now hoping to raise the sum with an auction on his campaign website, with prizes including a meal cooked by the chef at the winner's home.

"I think Tesco should waive this bill, which it is at its discretion to do," he said. "At the same time, it's clear that it doesn't really want this resolution."

Tesco said there may have been no cost if Fearnley-Whittingstall had put in the request before an earlier deadline. The firm said it was "not fair that shareholders should have to pay for all the documents to be produced and distributed".