![\"Ken](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Ken-MurphyGettyImages-2195802125.jpg\")
\t\tKen Murphy said Tesco has faced no supply chain disruptions so far\t<\/p>\n\t\t\tThursday 16 April 2026 9:05 am
\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Updated:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\t\t\tThursday 16 April 2026 2:30 pm\n\t<\/p>\n
\t\tKen Murphy said Tesco has faced no supply chain disruptions so far\t<\/p>\n
The boss of Tesco said he doesn\u2019t \u201crecognise\u201d warnings that food inflation could soar to double digits this year due to supply chain chaos caused by the Iran war.<\/p>\n
Ken Murphy, chief executive of the supermarket giant, said he currently has no concerns over significant price inflation and \u201cdoesn\u2019t know\u201d whether this is coming down the track.<\/p>\n
Speaking on a media call shortly after publishing annual results<\/a> from the UK\u2019s biggest retailer, Murphy defied the worst extent of wider industry gloom over looming price rises.\u00a0<\/p>\n He referred to a warning from the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) earlier this month that food inflation will more than triple to nine per cent this year and could exceed 10 per cent if the Iran war persists for more than a few weeks.\u00a0<\/p>\n Murphy said: \u201cWe are not seeing any meaningful inflation coming through, with the obvious exception of the cost prices we\u2019ve seen on fuel.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t recognise the number that was published. We don\u2019t know what it\u2019s going to look like because, clearly, this is a very volatile, unpredictable situation.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBut what I can tell you is that we will be doing everything in our power to minimise the impact on customers,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n Murphy called on the government to help supermarkets keep prices down, echoing recent calls from his counterparts at Marks & Spencer and Asda.<\/p>\n \u201cIn terms of tax pressures, industry and energy in particular, anything the government can do to help us keep prices low for customers is welcome,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n With maritime energy exports blocked from the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of global oil supplies flow,\u00a0fears have risen\u00a0that knock-on disruption to global supply chains could even plunge the UK into food shortages.\u00a0<\/p>\n The government is reportedly<\/a> drawing up contingency plans for a \u201creasonable worst-case scenario\u201d which could see supermarket shelves empty of chicken, pork, and other key goods.<\/p>\n Murphy downplayed food shortage fears on Thursday but said the government is \u201cdoing the right thing\u201d by making contingencies.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tRead more<\/p>\n