ACS

Conservative Shadow Environment Minister Nick Herbert will formally announce Conservative party support for the introduction of a Grocery Ombudsman at the Oxford Farming Conference today.

ACS has long campaigned for the introduction of a Grocery Ombudsman and has been supported by a range of industry representatives and the Competition Commission itself. However, the Government has delayed over the Commission’s 2008 recommendations, allowing the supermarkets to continue to use practices in their supplier dealings that were found by the Commission to be to the detriment of consumers.

James Lowman, ACS’ Chief Executive said: “It’s pleasing that Nick Herbert is drawing attention to the fundamental point that is often forgotten by the supermarkets: the Competition Commission recommended an Ombudsman because they recognised that certain supermarket buying practices were working against the interests of consumers. The worst excesses of buying power need to be addressed through an Ombudsman enforcing the Grocery Suppliers Code of Practice.”

Mr Herbert’s speech comes just weeks after Albert Owen, Labour MP for Yns Mon tabled a Private Members Bill calling for an Ombudsman to implement the full recommendations of the Competition Commission. ACS and other groups campaigning for an Ombudsman have also recently met with Kevin Brennan MP, the Minister responsible for competition policy.