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Written question asked by Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative) on Thursday, 21 May 2026, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Friday, 5 June 2026. It was answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Labour) on Friday, 5 June 2026 on behalf of the Department for Business and Trade.

Supermarkets: Unfair Practices

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the role of the Grocery Code Adjudicator to permit the adjudicator to review unfair practices in supermarkets on their own initiative.

Answer

The Government's Statutory Review of the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) 2022-2025 was published on 14 April 2026. The role of GCA is to regulate the relationship between the largest grocery retailers and their direct suppliers by enforcing compliance with the Groceries Supply Code of Practice.

On 7 April 2026 the Government announced that responsibility for the GCA would move from the Department for Business and Trade to the Department for Food and Rural Affairs from 01 July 2026. This will reinforce fairness across the UK's grocery supply chain, streamline oversight of the supply chain and strengthen links to the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator (ASCA).

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL383
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Supermarkets Unfair practices Groceries Code Adjudicator
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk