The latest filings in Tesco’s £100m lawsuit against Broadcom and VMware over an alleged breach in software licensing terms demonstrates the complexity in dealing with resellers and distributors of VMware software.
It also highlights the risk in having one company provide not one, but two business-critical products, a situation Tesco found itself in as a result of Broadcom’s acquisition of both CA Technologies in 2018 and VMware in 2023.
Tesco’s complaint, filed on 15 July 2025, states that it is a long-standing customer of VMware International and CA Europe through the purchase of VMware licences for server virtualisation software and CA Technologies’ mainframe software, along with support services. Tesco stated in the complaint that Broadcom is now seeking to supply its virtualisation and mainframe software and services to the retailer on an abusive, “take it or leave it”, long-term and bundled basis.
The VMware licences and support were not purchased directly…
