Parliamentary Motion: Farmers and growers need stronger protection from supermarket ‘bully-boys’ – George 

Andrew George MP – who chaired the national organisation which successfully campaigned for regulation of the supermarket supply chain – has tabled a cross-Party Parliamentary motion calling for stronger protection for farmers and growers throughout the supply chain. The Motion calls on the Government to consolidate two separate regulators and for its powers to be expanded and strengthened.  

Commenting, Mr George said: 

“Our farmers and growers need a functioning market to survive and thrive. However, post-war growth in the power of the supermarkets has been to the detriment of the farmers whose viability is constantly undermined. 

“For over ten years, when I was last in Parliament, I chaired the national Grocery Market Action Group – with a wide group of organisational members from the NFU to Friends of the Earth. We successfully campaigned for Competition Commission Inquiries into abusive practices by supermarket buyers. The Commission eventually agreed that supermarkets often “transferred excessive risk and unexpected cost” to their suppliers. Following this and the creation of the new Code of Practice, we persuaded the Government to bring in a regulator (the Groceries Code Adjudicator – GCA) to ensure the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP) was properly enforced. 

“However, since returning to Parliament after a 9 year period away, it has become clear that the Code and the Regulator need to be strengthened. It is pleasing to secure such cross-party support for a Parliamentary motion which is calling for the regulator to be beefed up. 

“The Government is holding a consultation which will close on 5th August 2025. I am encouraging as many MPs as possible to back this motion before that date. Such a change will not just benefit farmers and growers, it should also reduce dependence on public subsidy. But they need fair dealing in the supply chain, as well as a fair price for the food they produce.”