Retailers' Code Compliance Officers have formally confirmed to the Groceries Code Adjudicator that they will treat any discussions with suppliers in the strictest of confidence.
The CCOs have also agreed that it will be up to the supplier to determine whether they can disclose any details about the subject matter of their Code-related discussion within their designated.
GCA Mark White said: "In practice this is how CCOs have operated, maintaining confidentiality in discussions. But the problem is that nowhere has this been clearly stated and many suppliers have been unclear about the position.
"I asked all the retailers to make a formal commitment to confidentiality so that I could publish it on my website and dispel any concerns of suppliers that directly raising an issue with a retailer might lead to retaliation."
