The Skinny Food Co has launched a High Court claim against B&M, seeking nearly £14 million in damages. This legal action, which commenced in February, arises from allegations that Skinny was removed from B&M’s supplier list on two occasions, first in 2021 and again in 2025.
According to court filings, the initial de-listing allegedly occurred after investment talks between Robin Arora and Skinny fell through. The situation escalated when B&M ceased adding new Skinny products to its shelves starting in 2023, culminating in a formal notification in June 2025 that all remaining products would be removed by December 2025.
Skinny claims that total losses from both de-listings amount to at least £16.85 million. The company had invested over £235,000 in new machinery to meet the anticipated demand from B&M, which has since dwindled significantly. Orders from B&M plummeted from £10.7 million in the year ending August 2021 to approximately £3.2 million the following year.
Legal representatives for Skinny allege that Robin Arora made threatening remarks during the investment negotiations, suggesting that he had the power to ‘ruin’ Skinny’s business. George Spalton KC, representing Skinny, stated, “B&M’s decision to de-list Skinny was motivated at least by the breakdown of the negotiations between (Mr Arora) and Skinny in respect of the proposed investment by the Arora family in Skinny, and by (Mr Arora’s) desire to make good his threat to ‘ruin’ Skinny.”
As of now, B&M has yet to submit its defense in this ongoing case. The commercial relationship between Skinny and B&M began in late 2020, and the recent developments have raised significant concerns within the industry regarding supplier relations and the impact of investment negotiations on business partnerships.
Details remain unconfirmed regarding the next steps in this legal battle, but the implications of this lawsuit could resonate throughout the retail and food sectors.