Category Archives: News

Number of suppliers experiencing GSCOP-related issues continues to fall

Christine Tacon

The Grocer – 13th May 2020

Supermarket behaviour in dealing with suppliers is at an all-time high, despite the pressures of coronavirus, according to an official survey by Groceries Code Adjudicator Christine Tacon.

A YouGov survey of almost 1,500 direct suppliers, on behalf of the GCA, found more than a third (36%) said they had experienced a code-related issue with one of the 13 retailers covered by GSCOP in the past 12 months – down from 41% in 2019.…

Will Covid-19 spark change in the UK supplier payment terms?

Christine Tacon

Just Food – 13th May 2020

Read the full article here.

Christine Tacon, the UK’s Groceries Code Adjudicator, is impressed with the progress – not least because her own supplier surveys are also showing delays in payments have tumbled down the list of concerns.

…

Christine Tacon extends GCA contract to provide continuity through coronavirus outbreak

Christine Tacon

The Grocer – 27th April 2020

Christine Tacon extends GCA contract to provide continuity through ...Tacon had been due to stand down in June, seven years after taking up the role

“I want to play my part in the response to Covid-19”, the adjudicator said

Groceries Code Adjudicator Christine Tacon has agreed to stay in the post for a further six months, amid fears GSCOP is coming under pressure from retailers during the coronavirus outbreak.…

Christine Tacon to continue as Groceries Code Adjudicator

Christine Tacon

Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy – 27th April 2020

Christine Tacon will continue as Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) for a period of up to 6 months.

Small Business Minister Paul Scully today (Monday 27 April) confirmed the reappointment of Christine Tacon CBE as the Groceries Code Adjudicator for a period of up to 6 months.…

Coronavirus shouldn’t affect GSCOP, Tacon tells supermarket bosses

Christine Tacon

The Grocer – 14th April 2020

UK: Christine Tacon to become Groceries Code Adjudicator | Farming ...

Tacon has urged retailers to use the flexibility within the code.

      • Groceries Code Adjudicator Christine Tacon has asked retailers to withdraw their requests for elements of the code to be suspended.
  • Last month Morrisons CEO David Potts asked the government to allow the delisting of products without giving suppliers  reasonable notice”.
…

Webinar: ‘We look to predict the fresh food landscape 18 months post COVID-19 with our expert industry guest speakers’

Christine Tacon

Listen again here. Access Code: I4$yq82&

Aired: Tuesday 14th April 15:00 BST.

Panelists: Christine Tacon CBE – Groceries Code Adjudicator, Shaun Browne – Co-Head Corporate Finance, UK at Houlihan Lokey, Sterling Crew – Chair of The Food Authenticity Network’s Advisory Board, Sarah Calcutt – Partners in Produce Ltd, Ben Makowiecki – Area Director Agriculture for Lloyds Banking Group, Max MacGillivray – Editor in Chief for Beanstalk & Webinar Host.…

Christine Tacon calls for retailers to help suppliers facing cashflow problems

Christine Tacon

The Grocer – 27th March 2020 

Christine Tacon

Groceries Code Adjudicator Christine Tacon has made an extraordinary intervention in a bid to help suppliers facing a cashflow crisis from the coronavirus outbreak.

Tacon has always previously refused to give any guidance on payment terms, because the issue is not covered in GSCOP.…

Coronavirus: Groceries Code Adjudicator issues guidance for supply chain

Christine Tacon

Food Manufacturer – 17th march 2020

The GCA has issued some guiding principlesThe Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) has urged  retailers and suppliers to work tog ether but has called on them to follow some “guiding principles”.

It said there were “considerable challenges” facing retailers and suppliers as they worked together to ensure  customers had access to food and other essentials during the COVID-19 outbreak.…

GSCOP – Get trained, know the code, speak up!

Christine Tacon

Spend Matters – 25th February 2020

We haven’t heard from 4C Associates in some time, but they look to have been busy with new hires and a new website. We’ll be catching up with business developments soon. But for now, Simon Latham, a senior manager with the procurement consultancy, shares his thoughts on The Grocery Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP), having worked at JS, Safeway and Tesco where he wrote Tesco’s GSCOP training material and trained over 3,000 people.…

GCA reaches out to small suppliers

Christine Tacon

Speciality Food – 10 February 2020

GCA reaches out to small suppliers

The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA), Christine Tacon, has launched the seventh annual survey, which provides suppliers with the opportunity to express any Groceries Supply Code of Practice issues. The survey has enabled Christine, as the UK’s first GCA, to achieve progress for suppliers, demonstrate where retailer efforts have improved Code compliance and identify areas for improvement.…

GCA opens annual survey

Christine Tacon

Fresh Produce Journal – 07 February 2020

Christine Tacon launches final survey of suppliers as Groceries Code Adjudicator before her term ends in June

The Groceries Code Adjudicator Christine Tacon has launched her annual survey of supermarket suppliers, ten years on from when the Groceries Supply Code of Practice came into force. 

The survey, which will be Tacon’s last as GCA before her term ends in June, has played a vital role in regulating and improving retailer practices.…

New Markets: New Opportunities in 2020

Christine Tacon

Lexology – 06 February 2020

The turn of a year into a new decade sharpens our focus on what’s happening in our market and what may affect our future. Scotland Food and Drink’s target value for the sector of £30bn by 2030 seems significantly closer in February 2020 than it did when we hosted our annual conference in November 2019!…

After 10 years of GSCOP, what’s changed – and what’s left to do?

Christine Tacon

The Grocer – 05 February 2020

10 years of the Code cakeThis week the Groceries Supply Code of Practice reached a major milestone: its 10-year anniversary. Introduced to ensure the country’s largest retailers treat their suppliers lawfully and fairly, the landscape for groceries suppliers has changed enormously since 4 February 2010.…

Women in Food and Agriculture event proves to be a great success

Christine Tacon

Farming Life – 09 January 2020

Over 300 delegates from 26 countries made their way to Amsterdam for the inaugural Women in Food & Agriculture Summit

Over 300 delegates from 26 countries made their way to Amsterdam for the inaugural Women in Food & Agriculture Summit.

The agribusiness and food event brought together some of the sector’s most progressive and disruptive thinkers with an audience that wanted to openly debate the inclusivity and diversity of the agri-food industry.…

Women in agribusiness: ‘We are not men in skirts’

Christine Tacon

Farmers Journal – 25 December 2019

Following seven years as the UK’s Groceries Code Adjudicator, Christine Tacon speaks to Amii McKeever about her background, why she is leaving this role and women in agribusiness. 

Click here to view the full article. …

GCA’s self-regulation proposal: the big misunderstanding

Christine Tacon

The Grocer – 17th December 2019

Tacon

Suppliers are concerned and retailers are confused. Christine Tacon, the outgoing Groceries Code Adjudicator, said in her final annual conference she wanted “to see the retailers build for themselves a whole-organisation approach to code compliance”.…

Christine Tacon urges government to stick with ‘collaborative’ GCA approach

Christine Tacon

The Grocer – 27th August 2019

Image result for christine taconGroceries Code Adjudicator Christine Tacon has urged the government not to ditch her “collaborative” approach to tackling retailer-supplier disputes, as she presses ahead with plans for a system of self-regulation.

Responding to a statutory review of the role by Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Tacon produced written support from supermarkets and food and drink companies.…

Outgoing UK grocery business adjudicator sets out new approach to regulation

Christine Tacon

Just Food – 25th June 2019

Christine Tacon speaking at yesterdays conference The UK government body overseeing the behaviour of the country’s large supermarket chains has set out a new compliance strategy.

The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA), Christine Tacon, told the organisation’s annual conference in London yesterday (24 June) that her aim is to drive effective top-to-bottom compliance risk management by the retailers she regulates. 

However, it has led to concerns that the changes are effectively ushering in self-regulation.…

Aldi tops GCA annual survey for 6th year with Co-op the most improved

Christine Tacon

Farmers Guardian – 25th June 2019

97 per cent of suppliers said Aldi complies consistently well or mostly well with the code.

Aldi has topped the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) annual survey for the sixth year, with 97 per cent of suppliers stating the retailer complied well or mostly well with the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP).…

Retail supplier complaints hit new low

Christine Tacon

Fresh Produce Journal – 24h June 2019 

Retail supplier complaints hit new lowAldi again named most Code-compliant supermarket in annual report by Groceries Code Adjudicator

The number of supplier complaints against supermarkets has fallen to a new low, the Groceries Code Adjudicator’s new annual report indicates.…

Suppliers call for Amazon to be regulated by Groceries Code Adjudicator

Christine Tacon

Yorkshire Post – 24th June 2019

Amazon. Pic: Paul Faith/PA Wire

Food and drink suppliers have called for online giant Amazon to come under the watch of the grocery industry regulator.

Amazon and Boots were the two retailers which received the most requests from suppliers to come under the remit of the Groceries Code Adjudicator, according to its annual survey.…

Groceries Code Adjudicator to step down

Christine Tacon

Food Manufacture – 24th June 2019

Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) Christine Tacon is to step down from her role at the end of her current term in June 2020, delegates at the GCA Annual Conference heard.

Read the full article here.…