WEST Devon farmers lobbied shoppers at Safeway in Tavistock last Friday in an attempt to persuade them to buy British.
The farmers, all members of Tavistock NFU, ran a shift system for three hours as they took it in turns to talk to shoppers and ask them to support the farming community.
Layland Branfield, who farms at Two Bridges, said: 'We want shoppers to consider their shopping and not purchase French goods if they can find a reasonable alternative.
'We don't aim to intimidate people, we just want to stimulate their brains.'
Mr Branfield said the French attitude towards English beef was 'unreasonable' and the farmers' protest was an attempt to keep the issue uppermost in the minds of the public.
'All these little things help,' he said. 'We don't aim to riot or to be as vocal as the French farmers but we want to ask them to support us in the best way they can,which is by declining to purchase anything which originates from France.'
Mr Branfield said he was 'very pleased' with shoppers' reaction to the farmers' lobby.
'I would say nine out of ten were saying they would support us where they could, I think we certainly had some impact,' he said.
Alan Jukes, secretary of Tavistock NFU, said a further event is planned for Tavistock this Saturday.
'There will be a couple of tables set up in Bedford Square showing French produce and British equivalents, to give people the chance to make comparisons,' said Mr Jukes.
The farmers will be in Bedford Square from 11am until 2pm.