December 2020: Record of the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) progress meetings with Code Compliance Officers (CCOs)
Published 5 January 2021
漏 Crown copyright 2021
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at /government/publications/december-2020-cco-progress-meetings-record/december-2020-record-of-the-groceries-code-adjudicator-gca-progress-meetings-with-code-compliance-officers-ccos
1. 础迟迟别苍诲别别蝉鈥�
The GCA (Mark White) and members of his team met with the鈥疌COs and鈥痮ther鈥痳epresentatives from the regulated retailers as follows:鈥�
1.1 Thursday 12 November 2020鈥�
- TJ Morris Ltd (trading as Home Bargains)鈥�
1.2 Tuesday 24 November 2020
-
Iceland Foods Ltd
-
Waitrose Ltd
1.3 Friday 27 November 2020
-
Asda Stores Ltd
-
Tesco plc
1.4 Tuesday 1 December 2020
-
Co-operative Group Ltd
-
J Sainsbury plc
-
Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc
1.5 Thursday 3 December 2020
-
Aldi Stores Ltd
-
Marks and Spencer plc
-
Ocado Retail Ltd
1.6 Friday 4 December 2020
-
B&M European Value Retail SA
-
Lidl GB Ltd
2. Key points raised鈥�
2.1 Updates from introductory meetings
There was a discussion about any issues arising from introductory meetings between the then Deputy GCA and CCOs held in August/September 2020.
2.2 Training and remuneration
The GCA expanded on discussions with the former Adjudicator about whole-house compliance, looking at the tone from the top of retailers and further exploring鈥痶raining,鈥痠ncluding the link between training, remuneration and assurance.
2.3 CCO independence and self-promotion
The GCA encouraged all鈥疌COs鈥痶o promote their role with their supplier bases to ensure that suppliers know who to contact in the event of a dispute, how the鈥疌CO鈥痗an help and whether the鈥疌CO鈥痺ill treat matters raised confidentially.鈥�
2.4 Issues in the retailer鈥檚 progress report to the GCA鈥€�
The GCA discussed any issues covered in the retailer鈥檚 progress report to the GCA.鈥€€�
2.5 Issues raised by direct suppliers鈥€�
The GCA highlighted any issues being raised by direct suppliers specific to a鈥痯articular retailer鈥痮r sector related issues which the GCA wanted to raise with all retailers including: 鈥�
-
De-listing
-
Artwork & design
-
Good faith receiving and audit claims
-
Customer complaints.
3. Any other business鈥€�
3.1 Website developments
The GCA discussed plans to amend the GCA website to clarify鈥痶he retailers鈥� approaches to the鈥痸oluntary commitment on forensic auditing and their position with regard to confidential discussions with suppliers.鈥�
3.2 2021 Annual Compliance Reports (ACRs)
The GCA confirmed he鈥痟ad agreed with the Competition and Markets Authority that he鈥痺ill鈥痶ake鈥痶he lead鈥痮n requesting and reviewing ACRs from retailers for 2021.
3.3 2021 GCA Annual Survey
The鈥疓CA shared plans for the 2021鈥痵urvey including a mid-January 2021 launch, with a six-week response period. The survey will allow suppliers to鈥痯rovide positive feedback about retailers and will be followed up by deep-dive interviews by YouGov with鈥痵everal鈥痵uppliers to explore some areas in more detail. The GCA welcomed鈥痑nything retailers could do to promote the survey鈥痺ith their suppliers.
3.4 Awareness raising / Code Confident activities
The GCA confirmed he had met with鈥痑ll the CCOs, Audit Committee Chairs and CEOs from the designated retailers and鈥痟as had around 75 meetings in total with a range of people and organisations, including suppliers.鈥€疐ollowing his succession as GCA on 31 October 2020, he had鈥痠ssued鈥痑 newsletter鈥痑nd鈥痺ritten to trade associations.鈥疶he Code Confident pack had been updated and is now available to download from the GCA website and a QR code is to be made available. The GCA welcomed鈥痑nything retailers could do to advertise the pack.鈥�