There is no other sector in own-label with as much going for it as fresh produce, Somerfield technical solutions director Steve Ridge told delegates at Re:fresh.
“We have got a fantastic message; eat fruit and vegetables and live longer...and all that has been encapsulated in 5-a-day.”
The store has developed its own 5-a-day logo, which also appears on other own-brand products such as ready meals, as it found the DoH logo “too restrictive”.
“We are trying to help our customers get to 5-a-day and it is part of responsible retailing,” said Ridge.
Somerfield is not governed by the OFT’s Supermarket Code of Practice as it is not one of the largest four multiples, but it has developed its own purchasing policy with its suppliers and the FPC to address the concerns outlined by Ridge.
“The policy deals with the principles of purchasing and any detail is added in documents supplementary to it,” he said. “It is important to have a proper relationship with suppliers and to treat them fairly, giving advance notice of changes and a chance for them to agree or not.”
Somerfield’s policy outlines a once-yearly meeting to consider progress according to a matrix format by which Somerfield scores suppliers who also score themselves on a scale of one to five against a host of criteria.
Ridge highlighted five areas which pose challenges for the fresh produce sector: pesticide residues, genetic modification, mycotoxins, traceability and ethical trading. “In the past we have been challenged not to exceed MRLs, but now the agenda is no residues at all,” said Ridge. “And GM will be very difficult to introduce simply because our customers do not want it.”
He warned that mycotoxins were potentially far more dangerous than Sudan I and that it is vital fresh produce suppliers have good control systems in place. “And ethical trading is not a huge issue at the moment, but one that is growing and it is a much more difficult issue than technical problems,” he said.
“It is overseas where the big problems lie, although the UK and its casual labour issues are not blameless.”
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