Just Food – 13th May 2020

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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. In 2014, 35% had an issue with late payments, she explains, but last year this was down to 13%. “I don’t have evidence it’s a real problem [anymore].

Tacon even goes so far as to say the improvements – arguably sparked by her Tesco investigation – had “very definitely” helped improve the resilience and ability of the sector to deal with the current coronavirus crisis. “The interests of suppliers and grocers during the pandemic has been aligned,” she explains. “They are actually talking to each other.” Others are not so sure. 

David Burrows