ENVIRONMENTALISTS demonstrated outside Sainsbury's in Calne to protest against the proliferation of chemicals in food and to persuade the supermarket to publish the results of its food tests.

North Wiltshire's Friends of the Earth and mascot Toxic Ted handed out leaflets for consumers to complete on Monday, which asked Sainsbury's to make public the findings of the tests it conducts on its food.

People were invited to place the completed forms in the supermarket's suggestion box.

The protest was part of a national campaign by environmental groups to reduce the amount of chemicals in a range of food products as well as paint, wood treatment and cleaning items.

North Wiltshire Friends of the Earth decided to target supermarkets because they are the biggest buyers of food. The group believes supermarkets have enough power to force a reduction of pesticides in the food chain.

The group is particularly concerned that children are consuming chemicals through their food, which could affect their development.

Town councillor Derek Quinn, who dressed up as Toxic Ted, the campaign's emblem, said: "We targeted Sainsbury's because they do a lot of advertising saying how good their fruit and vegetables are. If we can get them to publish their test results we have leverage to put pressure on other supermarkets to do the same.

"We don't think Sainsbury's are any worse than any other supermarket."