The Groceries Code Adjudicator’s (GCA) 2022 statutory review has found that the number of retailers surveyed who did not think the GCA could settle issues arising between themselves and suppliers increased by 5%.
The GCA statutory review of the period 1st April 2019 to 31st March 2022 recorded views and evidence for the Minister for Enterprise and Markets to assess the performance of the GCA.
The body was established in 2013, and its aim is to monitor and enforce the Groceries Supply Code of Practice that a selection of the UK’s largest grocery retailers must comply with when dealing with their direct suppliers.
Regarding retailer and supplier awareness of the Code, GCA data recorded that 77% had a “good or fair” understanding of the Code in 2019, however this decreased to 74% in 2022. Awareness of the GCA was 84% in 2019 and 83% in 2022. It recorded that the number of those with a “good or fair “understanding of the GCA’s role was down 4% over the three-year period.
Head of the GCA Mark White responded to the government consultation: “I have since recommenced visits to retailers by me and my team, including meeting a range of retailer employees to improve understanding of the Code, as well as to improve my and my team’s understanding of retailers’ businesses.”
GCA figures recorded that the number of suppliers who would not raise an issue with the body decreased by 4% in 2022 from 2019. Those who did not think the GCA could do anything about the issue rose by 5% over the same period.
It added that 53% of suppliers in 2019 were concerned about consequences if the retailer found out about an issue, which is now recorded to be at 42% this year. However, the number of suppliers who said they could address the issue themselves has decreased by 3% since 2019.
White said: “To provide total reassurance to suppliers concerned about retaliation, in February 2021 I launched a platform, ‘Tell the GCA’, that allows suppliers from anywhere in the world to report issues to me anonymously.”
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
