The supermarket said it will start making temporary payments to smaller suppliers from next week until at least the end of May to “support their cashflow during a difficult time for the British economy”.

The retailer also confirmed it would be temporarily reclassifying companies with up to £1m turnover a year as smaller suppliers. It currently classifies those with £100,000 turnover as small suppliers.

The grocer said this will mean an extra 1,000 small food businesses will qualify for its payments and would cover those local food suppliers and farmers – providing eggs and livestock.

Morrisons has around 3,000 small suppliers, including 1,750 farmers.