Grocery adjudicator will lead to conflict not conciliation

In the form of the Groceries Code Adjudicator, the government has conjured up another way to heap needless pressure on the already embattled food retail sector.

As well as the questionable wisdom of introducing yet more cost and bureaucracy to some of the biggest private employers in the country, it is an example of the creep of legislation being introduced by an administration that is supposed to be pro-business and pro-growth.

And to what end? Supporters will argue the scheme will help deliver a food supply chain that operates in the best interests of consumer choice and availability. But the notion a state-backed ombudsman can deliver on customer needs better than the grocers fighting for their spend every day is farcical.

The irony is you’ll find few retailers who don’t believe that long-term investment in their supply chains is key to a sustainable future. But, the emphasis of this adjudicator on anonymity and the potential for third parties to bring cases against the grocers will only promote conflict not conciliation.