DURING A keynote speech Groceries Code Adjudicator Christine Tacon called on Tesco to review the way it treats suppliers during its internal review which the retailer announced last month.
During her talk in front of groceries sector audience the adjudicator revealed she had spoken with the High Street giant regarding the matter: “I have requested that compliance with the Groceries Supply Code of Practice is included in the scope of the internal investigation and I have asked to be notified if Tesco starts to find practices which might breach the code,” she said in speech to a groceries sector audience in Birmingham.
“The GCA will take a decision on next steps based on the evidence.”
During her speech, Tacon set out progress on forensic auditing following the June announcement that eight out of ten large retailers covered by the code had agreed a voluntary commitment to time limit such audits to two years.
“I have asked all the retailers to inform their suppliers in October about their forensic auditing policies.”
She said it was vital suppliers brought her hard evidence – such as financial and contractual documentation and notes of conversations – to help her perform her role effectively and she assured them their identities would be protected.
