Campaign for a supermarket watchdog - The story so far
26 August 2010
It's been over two years since the Competition Commission finished its investigation into the groceries market.
The report found that UK supermarkets were using their size and influence to squeeze their suppliers across the world. Although many supermarkets have signed on to the Groceries Code of Practice, without a mechanism to enforce it supermarkets have been free to exploit workers. This practice has led to worsening pay and conditions for the workers making their products.
One of the central recommendations of the commission was that the government create a supermarket watchdog that could enforce the new Code of Practice enacted in February 2010. The watchdog would have the authority to take anonymous complaints from suppliers, investigate allegations of supermarket bullying and fine as well as expose supermarkets found guilty of wrongdoing.
Alongside the investigation, War on Want, as part of broad coalition of groups, campaigned for just such a body. It was only due to the actions of thousands of supporters, and our sustained campaign, that the issue was raised in parliament.
However, despite the overwhelming evidence to support a watchdog, the government initially ignored the commission's recommendation, choosing instead to conduct its own consultation with stakeholders. During and after this consultation period, the proposed watchdog was targeted by relentless lobbying from the big supermarkets, which rejecting the need for one and called for even less regulation.
As a consequence of delaying its decision on a watchdog, the new Code of Practice was launched by the government in February 2010 without a body to enforce its provisions. Since then, the campaign for a strong watchdog has continued apace and in the run-up to the general election each of the three major political parties finally committed to creating one. The inclusion of a watchdog in the party manifestos marked a campaign milestone.
But after forming a government, the new coalition chose to conduct yet another consultation with stakeholders, which ended in July 2010. The government has since stated that it would look to write a draft bill in 2010 to introduce legislation in the second session of the current parliament, meaning that a watchdog would be enacted in 2011 at the earliest.
Click here to view the government's response so far to War on Want's campaign for the strongest possible watchdog. If you haven't taken action already, please do so now to call on the government to create an effective watchdog that is able to prevent supermarket bullying farmers and workers both here and overseas.
The government's response does not address many of the concerns we put to the minister. We are therefore asking supporters to contact Ed Davey again, demanding that he ensure the watchdog is proactive, covers overseas suppliers and is able to guarantee the anonymity of suppliers when they make complaints.
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