ACS

ACS has written to MPs urging them to back legislation to bring into force a Grocery Ombudsman that will be debated in Parliament on Friday.

ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “We see the implementation of a Grocery Ombudsman as vital to the future of sustainable competition in the industry, and local shops are united in backing the legislation.

“Local shops are the collateral damage of the abusive practices that are made possible by the poor regulation of the grocery market. For example, suppliers that are forced to make unplanned last minute payments to their biggest customers recoup the money from their smaller customers. An effective regulator will reduce the abusive practices and create a more level playing field.

“It has been nearly two years since the experts in the Competition Commission set out the detailed case for a Grocery Ombudsman and a complete blue print for how it should operate. Since then progress has been frustratingly slow, Albert Owen’s Bill is a welcome opportunity to speed up the process.

The Grocery Ombudsman Bill will have its second reading on Friday 5th March, the legislation is a Private Member Bill . To pass to the next stage the Bill requires 100 MPs voting in favour and for no MPs to oppose the Bill’s passage to the Committee stage.

Since the Bill was announced Government and the shadow leadership have separately backed the implementation of a regulator. However it is unclear whether they will support this specific legislation.