Read the latest newsletter from the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA).
As we approach the end of the year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the progress achieved and to thank everyone for your engagement over the last twelve months.
My 2025 survey results again showed improved supplier perceptions of compliance with the Groceries Code. For the first time, over 90% of suppliers to 13 retailers reported that the retailer mostly or consistently complied with the Code. Reported Code issues were down.
As Adjudicator, I will remain focussed on making sure that suppliers are treated lawfully and fairly, so that they can invest and innovate with confidence and grow their businesses. I am prioritising reducing delays in payment, problematic de-lists and forecasting. The GCA has driven down such issues since its establishment.
Meetings with designated retailers
To that end, I have just finished meeting with Code Compliance Officers (CCOs) and other representatives from the 14 designated retailers. The retailers shared updates on their implementation of plans to address the issues that suppliers raised in the 2025 survey. I will continue to work proportionately with CCOs to ensure that retailers are improving their Code compliance.
A record of the meetings is available on my website .
I will be meeting with each of the retailer's audit committee chairs or equivalent early in the new year.
Raising issues
In my meetings with the retailers, I emphasised the importance of suppliers being willing to confidentially raise issues and asked CCOs to explain how they are achieving this.
The CCOs are independent from their buying teams and guarantee confidentiality. CCOs will only discuss a supplier's issue with others in their business with the supplier's express permission. Whether a supplier raises an issue with the CCO, buyer or someone else, all 14 retailers have committed to ensuring that they won't face negative consequences for doing so.
I will continue to monitor how the retailers are handling supplier issues to ensure that they are all meeting these commitments.
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