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. It demonstrates where retailers’ efforts have improved Code compliance, as well as identifying areas for them to make improvements.

It is an opportunity for suppliers to tell the GCA what Code issues they are facing and whether the regulated retailers are treating them fairly and lawfully.

This year the survey – the seventh carried out by Tacon – includes Home Bargains, which was designated by the Competition and Markets Authority in September 2019.

Suppliers have until 29 March 2020 to complete the survey at www.yougov.com/GCA.

Tacon said: “The annual survey is the best way for the GCA to understand what issues suppliers are experiencing with the retailers and it is a powerful indicator of the state of relations in the sector.  The retailers themselves use the results to help them pinpoint the issues they need to work on.

“I have tracked retailer behaviour through an annual survey since my first year in the role and seen continued progress.

“The 2019 survey results were the best ever with only four out of ten suppliers reporting having experienced a Code-related issue in the last twelve months – down from a high of eight out of ten in 2014 – but I am still pushing for further improvement. 

“I would like to see if that trend has continued against a challenging retail background and since three additional retailers joined the original ten.”

The independent polling company YouGov runs the survey on behalf of the GCA, with Tacon assuring suppliers the information they provide is treated in complete confidence. 

The results will be announced by the GCA in its newsletter and online in June.

Fred Searle