The survey gathers information from suppliers regarding the main issues they have been faced with and whether they are being treated fairly and lawfully by the retailers.
Overall, the results showed a reduction in suppliers experiencing breaches of the GSCOP (Groceries Supply Code of Practice), as the percentage score fell from 36% to 33%.
However, when looking at specific retailers’ compliance with the GSCOP, the results showed big changes at the top of the table.
Retailer compliance
For the first time, the Co-op ranked first place out of 14 retailers for overall code compliance (98%), displacing M&S from first place to third.
Both the Co-op and Lidl experienced a 2% improvement – the biggest percentage development across all 14 retailers.
However, it was bad news for Amazon as its code compliance score fell significantly from 59% to 47%.
The GCA has told Amazon that it must take swift and comprehensive action to demonstrably comply with the code as its score falls near to half of all other 13 retailers, flagging a need for substantial improvement.
“I am encouraged to see improvements in retailers’ treatment of suppliers across a range of issues.”
Groceries Code Adjudicator Mark White
Cost price increase requests on the decline
Following record numbers of CPI (cost price increase) requests being submitted last year, the GCA has specifically monitored issues around CPI requests.
The survey results have shown that the number of suppliers highlighting a retailer’s response to a CPI has reduced from 28% in 2023 to just 16%.
However, the reduction in problems experienced with CPI requests could be due to the number of suppliers which requested at least one falling from 91% in 2023 to 67% in 2024.
Following feedback from members regarding concerns for CPD (cost price decrease) requests for the first time, the survey included a question on this. The results showed 5% of suppliers highlighted concerns about how a CPD had been requested by a retailer.
Improvements are encouraging
Groceries Code Adjudicator Mark White said he was “encouraged to see improvements in retailers’ treatment of suppliers across a range of issues including the management of cost price increase requests but also resolution of invoice discrepancies and data input errors”.
In response to the drop in Amazon’s code compliance score, Mr White said the online retailer “must ensure suppliers understand the changes it has made since its designation and in response to these survey results, and make any further changes that are needed to ensure code compliance”.
He encouraged suppliers to continue to confidentially inform him of any issues with Amazon, adding that he “will not hesitate” to launch a formal investigation if appropriate and necessary.
This was the eleventh survey conducted by the GCA in which there were more than 3,000 respondents consisting of a mixture of direct and indirect suppliers to retailers and wider industry stakeholders.
Next steps
Following the publication of the results, YouGov is undertaking a series of deep dive interviews with suppliers to understand the issues suppliers are facing in greater depth.
The findings will be shared at the annual conference on 1 October 2024.
The NFU’s food business unit continues to engage with the GCA and encourage members to confidentially share their experience with the food business unit or the GCA directly.
Member evidence is vital in shaping the GCA’s work with retailers and valuable in holding them accountable for their actions.
