MPs are pushing for a Private Members Bill calling for the appointment of a supermarket ombudsman in the UK to become law before the General Election in May.
The bill, which would establish an ombudsman to oversee the Groceries Supply Code of Practice, which governs relations between suppliers and retailers, received 44 votes in favour and none against on its second reading early last month.
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Although funded by the Office for Fair Trading, the ombudsman would be independent and would investigate complaints or disputes referred by the OFT, retailers or suppliers.
Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George, the chairman of the Grocery Market Action Group, told just-food today (6 April) that the bill has received cross-party support and went through its second-reading stage with “only a few” discordant voices.
George added that there was a chance it may be implemented during the ‘wash-up’ period in the few days following the announcement of the General Election when Bills can be fast-tracked through parliament.
“There is an outside chance that the Government will find time for it, and if there won’t be anyone standing in the way of it then it’ll be marvellous.” However, he added: “My head, which is ruling my heart at the moment, is telling me that the chances of that are extremely small but it does no harm to make the point that this is a very popular measure.”
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By GlobalDataGeorge said the noise was admittedly a “campaigning ploy” to keep the pressure up and a way of highlighting “the now popular support that this measure enjoys”.
He added: “I don’t anticipate that a time will be found for a private members bill given all the Government bills they want to get through are unlikely to get through in the next couple of days either. But I have to say that I am realistic in that the Government is currently undertaking a consultation on the proposal, which will close at the end of this month and then, with cross-party support, I would hope that we will then be able to implement the ombudsman very quickly in the new Parliament.”
The National Farmers Union, a vocal supporter of the creation of an ombudsman, said it wanted one set up “as soon as possible”.
However, the NFU played down the prospects of the bill being passed before the General Election, which is slated for 6 May.
“With regards to the bill in place before the election this won’t happen due to parliament having being dissolved. We hope that the new government bring it in soon,” a spokesperson told just-food.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC), meanwhile, said there was no need for the bill to be “rushed” through.
“It should be done in a considered way and in any case we’ve already got a toughened up, extended code that was just introduced in February. There’s absolutely no need to rush when this supply code of practice has just come into force. You need time to let that bed in and see how that pans out first,” a spokesperson for the BRC insisted.
