An Essex free-range egg farmer has won the battle to stop Tesco using his family business photographs on its packaging.

The contract for Ian Chisholm of Norton Mandeville, Essex, to supply Tesco with free-range eggs ended last month, yet the retailer has continued to use images of him and his wife on its boxes.

Chisholm first asked Tesco to remove the egg boxes from its shelves last month and said he was forced to take the matter to court after the retailer ignored his requests. He is now preparing to claim for a permanent injunction at the end of the month.

Tesco argued Chisholm's dispute was actually with its egg supplier in the area, Kent-based egg company Fridays, but agreed to change the labels shortly before a hearing at Harlow County Court this week. "We are somewhat surprised and disappointed by the court action," said a Tesco spokesman.

Chisholm expressed anger that it would take 12 weeks for Tesco to withdraw more than 10,000 egg boxes with the photographs on the packaging.

He said he would continue fighting the case to make sure something was done sooner as the packaging was damaging to his name.

"I no longer supply the eggs that are sold in Tesco stores," he said. "It is terribly misleading to the public."

Chisholm supplied 60,000 eggs a week to more than 20 Tesco stores in Essex over the past four years. Tesco said it had been very happy with the quality of the eggs he supplied.

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