Call on the UK to make a supermarket watchdog strong and effective

Attention: open in a new window.

Call on the UK to make a supermarket watchdog strong and effective

The UK government has committed to a supermarket watchdog and is currently considering what form it should take and what powers it will have. Supermarkets will be lobbying for a weak, passive watchdog that allows them to carry on with business as usual.

Take action now by calling on Ed Davey MP, Minister for Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs, to create a strong, independent and proactive watchdog that is able to hold supermarkets to account publicly for the abuse of suppliers in the UK and overseas.

Firstname (*)

Please type your first name.
Surname (*)

Please type your surname
E-mail (*)

Invalid email address.
Address1

Invalid Input
Address 2

Invalid Input
Town

Invalid Input
Postcode

Invalid Input
Country

Invalid Input
I do NOT want to to be contacted by War on Want
Do not contact

Dear Ed Davey MP,

I am writing to you concerning the government’s intention to create a supermarket ombudsman.

Firstly, let me congratulate you for supporting an independent watchdog in the government’s policy programme. War on Want has been arguing for years that supermarkets are abusing their buying power in supply chains, squeezing suppliers while condemning millions of workers to poverty wages and poor working conditions. The final report from the Competition Commission’s inquiry into the groceries market also found that supermarket practices are detrimental to the UK consumer.

For a watchdog to operate effectively, it must be independent, properly funded and vested with the authority to investigate problems in supply chains while guaranteeing the anonymity of suppliers who make complaints against supermarkets. An ombudsman must also cover all suppliers – both in the UK and overseas.

It’s also highly important that the ombudsman is able to hold to account companies that have been found to have committed abuses. The ombudsman must have the power to levy significant monetary penalties on supermarkets and the freedom to publicly name and shame wrongdoers. Without a powerful ombudsman, supermarkets will be able to continue ignoring the voluntary Grocery Supermarket Code of Practice (GSCOP), which has left workers vulnerable to exploitation.

Please grasp this important opportunity to create a robust ombudsman that will protect workers who suffer abuse in supply chains overseas.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Tags: campaigns | fighting supermarket power