To what extent do we really want the government taking a hands-on role in the organisation of retail supply?

Do we need an adjudicator to ensure fair play in the supply chain? Yes, I think most of us agree that we do. Too often we hear about supermarkets making unfair and possibly unlawful demands of suppliers, and these must be stamped out.

Practices like guaranteed margins, marketing “contributions”, fines for events outside of the supplier’s control and more should all be investigated and regulated.

But should the government go as far as getting involved in what promotions supermarkets should and shouldn’t run (p1)? I’m not so sure.

Yes, supermarkets have a responsibility to address the issue of waste, but this has as much to do with consumer education and that is not the sole preserve of the retailers.

Many promotions are fundamentally about getting shoppers through the door and having a strong line for marketing. It’s surely wishful thinking to suggest that an adjudicator could reduce food waste by getting retailers to stop doing last-minute promotions.

Micromanaging supermarket promotional strategies doesn’t strike me as a role for the government; it should stick to making sure that the basic supply chain relationships are not abused. To that extent, a fully functioning and effective adjudicator can’t come soon enough.

Jim Paice will undoubtedly have more to say about this during his appearance at the Re:fresh conference. It should make an interesting discussion.