"We deal with many of the major supermarkets and it's very important that the electronic delivery is fast and available, " he said.

BBC: Rural areas 'should be priority'

Tesco points to the 2001 Supermarket Code of Practice, drawn up to regulate trading relationships between the major supermarkets and their suppliers, of which it is a signatory.

BBC: NEWS | Business | Is Tesco too big?

And the British Retail Consortium said the UK's major supermarkets had increased their stocks of non-threatened fish, but this was a global problem.

BBC: NEWS | UK | UK 'must shield fishing industry'

The code of conduct came two years after the conclusion of a major two-year review of the supermarkets by the Competition Commission, which criticised the exclusivity arrangement often signed between the supermarket chains and their suppliers.

BBC: Christine Tacon named as supermarket ombudsman

The scandal surrounding horsemeat entering the food chain as beef has seen major high street supermarkets and food producers forced to recall stock.

BBC: Findus lasagne withdrawn over horsemeat content

Some of the major wire houses, including Merrill Lynch, Prudential and Salomon Smith Barney, also run supermarkets of a sort.

FORBES: Mutual fund supermarkets

Supermarkets and their supply chains have a major influence on what ends up in the household dustbin, she said.

BBC: NEWS | UK | ?8m boost to cut waste packaging