The Grocery Code Adjudicator Bill
Type of practice Reduce
Name of practice The Grocery Code Adjudicator Bill
Name of main actor UK Parliament
Type of actor(s) Public authority
Location United Kingdom
Stage of implementation Farm, Processing, Retail
Year of implementation 2012
What was/is being done? The Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill, which passed in the UK Parliament in
late 2012, creates a new regulator linked to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT),
whose duty is to ensure that the statutory Groceries Supply Code of Practice
(GSCOP) is adhered to properly. The GSCOP was created by the UK
Competition Commission to ensure fair dealing between large supermarkets
and their suppliers. In particular, the Code aims to protect farmers,
including indirect suppliers in developing countries, from unfair trading
practices of large retail buyers, including protecting them from having to
bear the unpredictable costs of waste caused by supermarket buying policies,
such as last minute cancellation of forecast orders. The Adjudicator
will have the power to name and shame and, in some cases, fine retailers
whose policies are in breach of the GSCOP.
Outcomes and impacts Not available yet