CANADA'S largest food distribution company, Loblaw - part of the Weston chain - has agreed to extend Tesco's right to use its President's Choice logo - known as Premium Choice in Ireland until the end of this year.

Tesco, which recently bought out the Irish supermarkets owned by Associated British Foods, had been bound under the terms of its agreement with ABF, to surrender the use of this logo within 60 days of its takeover of the Irish supermarkets. Yesterday Loblaw said that by extending the expiry date it had provided Tesco with "ample opportunity to decide its overall private label strategy for Ireland and the role of Irish suppliers in that strategy".