Groceries Code Adjudicator
Ombudsman overview
Formed25 June 2013 (2013-06-25)[1]
Jurisdiction
Headquarters7th Floor, The Cabot
25 Cabot Square
Canary Wharf
London
E14 4QZ
United Kingdom[3]
Employees4.6 full time equivalents[4]
Ombudsman executive
  • Mark White, Groceries Code Adjudicator[3]
Parent departmentDepartment for Business and Trade
Websitegov.uk/government/organisations/groceries-code-adjudicator

The Groceries Code Adjudicator (or Supermarket Ombudsman[5]) is an independent statutory office responsible for enforcing the Groceries Supply Code of Practice and to regulate the relationship between supermarkets and their direct suppliers within the United Kingdom. The post was created by the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013 and is an independent office within the Department for Business and Trade.

The UK Competition Commission (as of 1 April 2014 the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) undertook an investigation of grocery retail in 2009, and recommended that government establish an ombudsman for the sector.[6] The Groceries Supply Code of Practice applied initially to ten retailers with an annual turnover of £1bn+, namely Tesco, Co-op, Sainsbury’s, Marks and Spencer, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Aldi, Waitrose, and Iceland. On 9 February 2022, the CMA announced that Amazon.com would also be included with effect from 1 March 2022.[7]

Trade magazine and website Retail Week reported that in response to calls for submissions to the Competition Commission investigation, major UK retailer Aldi supported the establishment of a retail ombudsman, while Tesco, Sainsbury's, and a number of other major retailers did not support its establishment.[8]

In January 2013 Christine Tacon was appointed to the role for a four-year period.[9] Her first investigation was into the supply chain activities of Tesco plc.[10]

The adjudicator publishes interpretative guidance on the Code of Practice, best practice statements and details of retailers' voluntary commitments[11] and arbitrates in disputes between retailers and suppliers.

References

  1. ↑ "Groceries Code Adjudicator powers come into force". Practical Law. Thomson Reuters. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  2. ↑ "Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013, section 24". legislation.gov.uk. The National Archives. 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Groceries Code Adjudicator". GOV.UK. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  4. ↑ Groceries Code Adjudicator Annual Report and Accounts 2020-2021 (PDF). Dandy Booksellers Limited. 25 June 2021. ISBN 978-1-5286-2606-4. Retrieved 21 July 2021. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  5. ↑ "Christine Tacon named as supermarket ombudsman". BBC News. 21 January 2013. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  6. ↑ "Competition Commission calls for retail ombudsman". The Daily Telegraph. 4 August 2009. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  7. ↑ "Notice of Designation for Amazon.com Incorporated". GOV.UK. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  8. ↑ Faithfull, Mark (5 June 2009). "Waitrose gives last-minute show of support for retail ombudsman". Retail Week. Emap International Limited. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  9. ↑ "Christine Tacon CBE". GOV.UK. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  10. ↑ "Tesco knowingly delayed payments to suppliers". BBC News. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  11. ↑ "GCA_policy__Interpretive_guidance__best_practice_and_voluntary_agreements_March_2016.pdf" (PDF). GOV.UK. March 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2023.


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