McDonald's has joined other major companies in demanding a rethink of the controversial inheritance tax changes, after campaigners urged the fast-food giant to make its stance known.
The popular restaurant chain, whose website states that British farmers are their 'most essential ingredient', said it was 'reliant on a thriving farming sector'.
Following campaign pressure, a spokesman for McDonalds said on Wednesday (5 February): "We want to see policy that will support farmers and help them to grow their businesses.
"We recognise the importance of this issue to British farmers and are conscious of the concerns being raised.
"McDonald's is a long-term supporter of British farming and we remain absolutely committed to spending over £2 billion a year on British ingredients that our customers love and trust"
The government announced a reform of agricultural property relief (APR) in the autumn budget, meaning farms worth more than £1m will incur a 20% inheritance tax charge from 2026.
Retailers including Tesco, Waitrose, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons have all spoken out against the the IHT changes in recent weeks, demanding an overhaul.
Last Friday, Richard Walker, managing director of Iceland and a backer of Labour, criticised the chancellor’s decision to target family farms.
He said: “The Treasury is right to look at levelling the playing field on tax, but it has parked its tractor in the wrong place going after hard-working British farmers”.
Campaign group No Farmers, No Food had asked McDonald’s to “join retailers in supporting farmers in their campaign against the government’s inheritance tax on family farms”.
The group said on social media yesterday (4 February): “They describe British farmers as ‘their most essential ingredient’. Will they speak up for farmers now, before it’s too late?”
The Countryside Alliance backed the calls, saying that McDonald's had been a vocal supporter of British farming 'for many years'.
"Their support in this important campaign would be incredibly significant," said the alliance's head of external affairs, Mo Metcalf-Fisher.
“Farmers are battling for their future and they need retail businesses that support their hard work to speak out now, before it's too late.
"Supermarkets have already been vocal in joining calls from the farming sector in urging the Treasury to rethink the family farm tax, it is vital others follow".
The NFU has argued that 75% of farms could be impacted, with other industry estimates suggesting 2,500 farmers a year will be hit by the overhaul, five times as many as official forecasts.
Farmers are set to return to Westminster on 10 February, after the chancellor shows no sign of relenting on the policy.
It will be the third major London protest since Rachel Reeves’ budget last year, in addition to dozens more up and down the country.
A petition demanding the chancellor ditch the plan, which some say will raise just £115 million a year, has surpassed 100,000 signatures.
