the Guardian's apology to Tesco

The facts of this case are well known. Tesco sued the Guardian for libel and malicious falsehood following publication of a series of articles in February 2008 which alleged that the supermarket had set up an offshore tax avoidance scheme. The newspaper admitted that the articles were unfounded and published a front page apology in September.

What is interesting about this case is that in the apology, the newspaper specifically stated that it regretted not publishing a letter that it had received from Tesco's tax adviser on the date of publication of the original articles. This highlights the importance of publishers putting allegations to potential claimants before publication, offering them an opportunity to reply and presenting both sides of a story if they want to be able to rely on Reynolds qualified privilege.

For more information, view the link below, or contact Elaine Heywood, T: 023 8085 7124 E: elaine.heywood@bllaw.co.uk.