As the GCA it is Mark鈥檚 role to ensure that the 14 largest grocery retailers treat their direct suppliers lawfully and fairly and comply with the GSCOP.
Escalating members' concerns
As the grocery sector is put under additional strain from the recent unprecedented levels of inflation the NFU has heard an alarming increase in examples of retailers treating their suppliers unfairly.
The NFU鈥檚 food business unit has met with Mark on a number of occasions, furthermore, Mark has joined a member meeting to share how the GCA engages with retailers.
More recently, information and evidence gathered from speaking directly with grower members in one-to-one discussions, NFU board meetings, hort sector focus groups and NFU training events has been collated by the food business unit and submitted directly to the GCA.
This report captures the key themes and highlights exactly the types of behaviours members are experiencing.
Recurring themes are:
- a high turnover of buyers
- tactics used to delay CPI (Cost Price Increase) requests
- threatening behaviour following a CPI requests
The evidence gathered is vital to highlight current issues the grocery sector is facing and to influence the GCA鈥檚 future work and conversations with retailers.
For members wanting to know more about securing cost price increases with buyers, we'll be hosting a series of workshops led by former supermarket senior buyers who will advise on improving communication and maintaining a good relationship with your buyer.
The GCA intensifies talks with retailers
The GCA echoes our concerns raised around cost price increase requests and has received similar reports from elsewhere in the industry. As a result, Mark White has revealed this week that he has intensified talks with retailers.
Over the past few weeks he has held talks with all 14 retailers covered by the code with CPI and the compliance to the 7 golden rules, which the adjudicator launched in February, being the priority agenda item.
These discussions with retailers also seek to understand exactly how CPI requests are being dealt with as well as addressing other issues such as their goods-in processes and their handling of retrospective audit claims.
Mark White continues to invite suppliers who are experiencing issues with their price increase discussions to make contact. 皇家华人will also continue to work closely with the GCA on behalf of members. If members wish to report a breach of GSCOP or unfair behaviours, they can do so using the
