ACS

ACS (Association of Convenience Stores), the campaigning voice of over 33,000 local shops, has welcomed the widely reported move by the Competition Commission to use its powers under the Competition Act to require certain supermarkets to hand over email correspondence with suppliers.

ACS Chief Executive, James Lowman said: “We have consistently maintained that the Competition Commission has to get to the bottom of the relationship between the supermarkets and their suppliers. We welcome this move as a clear indication that the Commission is being thorough in its evidence gathering.

“We expect this action to uncover documentary evidence that supermarkets exert significant buyer power over their suppliers. We also believe that where this takes place it undermines competition in the grocery market by extending the differentials between the prices paid by the biggest supermarkets and the rest of the retailers in the sector.

“The Grocery Market Inquiry is the only opportunity to bring fairness and transparency into how retailers deal with suppliers. We will continue to press for this, as we enter the final stages.”

Contact:

Shane Brennan Public Affairs and Communications Manager
ACS
01252 515001 / 07921 372978

Rachel Lawson Communications Co-ordinator
ACS
01252 515001

Michael Saxton Grappa
020 7602 9222

Notes to Editors:

1. ACS is the convenience store champion, helping local shops thrive through lobbying, insight, information and commercial services.