TESCO’S chairman John Allan is quitting amid claims he groped women.
The supermarket giant said the allegations of inappropriate behaviour “risk becoming a distraction”.
Mr Allan, 74, who has been in the role for eight years, strongly denies three of four accusations.
A Guardian report claimed Mr Allan, a former president of the CBI business group, touched the bottom of a senior Tesco employee at the chain’s AGM last year.
He is also said to have grabbed a woman at a CBI dinner in 2019 and made an inappropriate remarks in 2021.
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He has previously said these claims were “simply untrue”.
However Mr Allan did admit commenting to a woman at the CBI on a dress she was wearing in 2019.
He said he was “mortified” and had apologised immediately.
Tesco held a review into the complaints.
Director Bryan Grote, who will temporarily replace Mr Allan, said it “made no findings of wrongdoing”.
Mr Allan said: “It is with regret that I am having to prematurely stand down.
“These allegations are utterly baseless.
“I remain determined to prove my innocence.”