According to The Register, Britain's Tesco supermarket has sued Broadcom over a contract dispute that could disrupt its ability to supply food across the UK. In twenty twenty-one, Tesco bought perpetual licenses for VMware virtualization software with support guaranteed through twenty twenty-six, plus an option for four more years. But when Broadcom acquired VMware, it stopped offering support to perpetual license holders—forcing them to buy expensive new subscriptions to get the same software they already own. Tesco says the virtualization platform underpins nearly forty thousand server workloads running its stores and supply chain, making the support essential. The retailer is seeking one hundred million pounds—around one hundred thirty-four million dollars—in damages, and warns that continued delays could cost even more. Tesco also named its reseller, Computacenter, as a co-defendant. This dispute echoes similar lawsuits filed by AT&T and Siemens over the same licensing issue.

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