TESCO stores in Swindon and across the UK may have to rely on stockpiles of food in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the company''s CEO announced yesterday.

With less than 80 days to go until Britain leaves the EU the supermarket chain made the revelation it was in talks with suppliers to stockpile tinned and dried food.

Davis Lewis, chief executive of Tesco, said: "We looked at the lifecycle and production of product categories that matter most to customers and sat down with all suppliers to discuss their production capability, where they hold stock and if we can help them hold it."

He said that given the UK imports half of fresh food it eats, Tesco was "very keen" there will be "no sort of friction" at the border.

Adding: "It’s not possible to do that sort of thing on fresh food, so that’s where the pinch point would be if there were to be a no-deal."

Mark & Spencers and Sainsbury's also announced they were in similar talks ahead of the March 29 deadline.