The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has called on politicians to stop delaying over the creation of a possible grocery market ombudsman and act quickly.
Coming days after the ACS reported that harsher penalties may be given out against retailers selling fireworks to youths, chief executive James Lowman said that the government should act on recommendations by the Competition Commission (CC) so that consumers get a fair deal from the grocery sector.
Lowman said the implementation of this ombudsman has been delayed because of a number of reasons, such as the fact that the CC has no power to enforce its proposals, and the government has so far been “equivocal” on the matter.
Voluntary agreement has to be reached between the main supermarket groups before the recommendation can gain momentum and an ombudsman be put in place, the ACS said.
Lowman commented: “Government has failed to take a lead in this process and as such have allowed uncertainty and delay to undermine the chance for a fairer and more diverse market.
“There is no justification for the government not driving forward the implementation of a remedy put forward by the independent competition authorities.”
Efforts by supermarkets to convince politicians that the ombudsman would limit their ability to keep food prices low are a “cynical exploitation of consumer fears”, he added.
“The costs of an ombudsman are small, and the restrictions designed to remove the worst abuses of buying power that all leading companies disavow.”
In the letter, MPs have been asked to write to the Secretary of State and to sign to Early Day Motion 2030 (on the commission’s report into the sector).
Asda’s chief executive Andy Bond said last week that the creation of an ombudsman could lead to strained relationships between supermarkets and their suppliers.
