Aldi, Asda, B&M, Co-Op, Home Bargains, Iceland, Lidl, M&S, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose all legally have to comply with GSCOP rules and, by law, must appoint a suitably qualified employee as their Code Compliance Officer (CCO) who must be independent and not managed by any member of the buying team. The CCO is a point of contact for suppliers to discuss any GSCOP related matters as well as the GCA.
The GCA holds meetings with each individual CCO on a quarterly basis and will meet all CCOs as a group in six-month intervals to update them on the work of the Adjudicator.
The current GCA, who has been in the role since it was created, is Christine Tacon but her successor, Mark White, will be taking over the role imminently.
What is the Grocery Supply Code of Practice?
The Grocery Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP), or “the Code”, is a detailed code of practice for how regulated retailers are expected to fairly and lawfully manage direct supplier relationships.
It essentially stops malpractice from buyer power and only regulates the link between the retailer and their direct supplier.
The NFU see GSCOP and the GCA role as a huge success in changing the culture and behaviour of the top 13 retailers. Members frequently tell us that since the GCA’s first establishment in 2013, retailers are now more open and transparent in their day to day dealings with direct suppliers.
GSCOP training for NFU members
It is law, within GSCOP that all retail buyers must be GSCOP trained. The NFU feels strongly that for GSCOP to work best, direct retail suppliers should also be trained. That’s why we offer discounted training sessions to ensure our members have the right negotiation tools to ensure code compliance agreements with retailers. Click here to find out more about GSCOP training, or email Rm9vZENoYWluRm9jdXNAbmZ1Lm9yZy51aw== for more information.
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