Groceries Supply Code of Practice comes into force

United Kingdom

The Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP) comes into force today.

The GSCOP is one of the main remedies recommended by the Competition Commission following its inquiry of the grocery market and replaces the previous Supply Code of Practice.

The objective of the GSCOP is to address the Competition Commission’s concerns that grocery retailers were adopting certain practices that transferred excessive risks and unexpected costs to suppliers. The GSCOP and the Order of which it forms part, The Groceries (Supply Chain Practices) Market Investigation Order 2009, places a number of obligations on grocery retailers relating to their dealings with suppliers.

We have produced a guide to the GSCOP. The guide summarises the main provisions of GSCOP and gives guidance to suppliers on the practical steps to be taken after its implementation. This guide can be found here.