Several politicians women's rights groups have called for a boycott on Tesco after its chairman controversially claimed white men are becoming an 'endangered species' in boardrooms.

John Allan also said males now have to work twice as hard during a Retail Week Live conference on how to become a non-executive director, less than 24 hours after International Women's Day.

Mr Allan said that the pattern of male dominance which has been the norm for 'thousands of years' has been broken with companies' endeavours to meet equal opportunities requirements.

Tesco chairman John Allan has claimed that white men are an 'endangered species' in the boardroom

He cited his own company as an example of how the times are changing, stating Tesco has eight non-executive directors, of whom three are now female - although only two are currently listed on the supermarket's website.

He said: 'If you are a white male – tough – you are an endangered species and you are going to have to work twice as hard.'

'There is loads of female talent out there, you have got to be prepared to look for it.

'You need to tell the headhunters that you really want them to serve up the most talented people they can find but to ensure there is a good mix.'

But he has been slammed by several politicians, including Labour MP Yvette Cooper and Women's Equality Party, Sophie Walker, who said she would be taking her business to its rivals.

She simply tweeted: 'Shopping at Sainsbury's this weekend' before adding '#BoycottTesco'.

Meanwhile, Ms Cooper also jumped on social media to express her disgust, posting: 'Says the man who chairs a board of eleven, eight of whom are white men.....!!! No words.'

The food giant is currently 33rd in the 'Female FTSE', a league table that ranks corporations on their recruitment of women, seven places behind rivals Sainsbury's.

But the statistics do not appear to justify Mr Allan's remarks, with only slightly more than a quarter - 29 per cent - of non-executive directors in the UK being female.

According to recruitment agency Egon Zehnder, this figure represents a five-year low.

Chief executive of women's rights group, Sam Smethers, told MailOnline: 'For an endagered species white men are still doing rather well. Over seven in 10 board members and nine in 10 executive director roles are held by men.

'But it's interesting that they feel threatened by even a modest step to redress the balance. Just imagine what actual equality would feel like.'

A professor at the University of Exeter Business School, Ruth Sealy, told The Times: 'Yes, men have to work very hard to get these positions, but my goodness so do women,'

'When as many mediocre women are appointed as mediocre men, we'll know we have parity.'

Tesco has eight non-executive directors, of whom three are now female - although only two are currently listed on the supermarket's website, Mr Allan claims (file image)

Mr Allan sought to clarify his remarks in a statement on Tesco website.

'I would like to clarify the remarks I made earlier this week at a Retail Week Live panel event where I was speaking to aspiring Non-Executive Directors, many of them women.

'The point I was seeking to make was that successful Boards must be active in bringing together a diverse and representative set of people.

'There is still much more to be done but now is a good time for women to put themselves forward for NED roles.

'In all the organisations I have been involved in I have been a committed advocate of greater diversity and very much regret if my remarks have given the opposite impression.'