The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) has published the findings from its annual industry survey that was carried out earlier this year. They show that grocery suppliers to the 14 designated large retailers experienced improved treatment for the second year running, with the number of firms reporting a Code issue falling from 33% to 30%.
The survey also showed an improvement in Code compliance across the retailers. Average perceived Code compliance rose from 91% to 93%, largely driven by improvements at the five retailers with the lowest perceived Code compliance in the 2024 survey.
There was also improved performance against issues prioritised by the GCA:
- 17% of suppliers said they had experienced inadequate processes and procedures in place to enable invoice discrepancies to be resolved promptly, compared to 21% of suppliers in 2024.
- 11% of suppliers highlighted delays in payments, compared to 14% of suppliers in 2024.
“I’m pleased that average Code compliance has continued to improve across the sector, and it’s particularly encouraging that the lowest five performing retailers have improved perceptions of their overall compliance with the Groceries Code,” said Mark White, the Adjudicator.
“I will speak to each retailer about suppliers’ views, and I expect them to review their individual survey results and make changes in response to issues impacting suppliers.
“When I raise issues with retailers, I do so in a way that protects suppliers’ confidentiality and not reveal which suppliers I’ve spoken to or even what products they supply.”
Overall compliance scores were above 90% for all the retailers, apart from Amazon, which remained at the bottom of the ranking with a score of 66%. This was an improvement on its score of 47% in the 2024 survey, although the online giant was still by far the most complained-about retailer, with 13% of its suppliers raising an issue with the retailer, a far higher proportion than any other company on the list.
Last week, the GCA announced that it was launching a “targeted investigation” into whether Amazon has breached paragraph 5 (No delay in Payments) of the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP). The Adjudicator has called for direct suppliers and other stakeholders to respond to his call for evidence and share experiences of supplying Amazon.
Meanwhile, Waitrose moved up from second place last year to first in the 2025 survey, with a perceived Code compliance score of 98%. Last year’s number one, Co-op, saw its compliance score fall from 98% to 96%, putting it mid-table.
Download a breakdown of the GCA’s survey results here
Overall compliance with the Code
NAM Implications:
- Key standout has to be the high compliance scores of all but Amazon.
- A major benefit to all parties of maintaining a high level of involvement by the GCA in supplier-retailer relations.
- And especially key that the government don’t make the mistake of thinking that ‘the job is now done’…
- …with little further need for the role.
- The need for a strong GCA increases as the stakes grow higher in an unprecedented environment.
- Meanwhile, re Amazon, this ‘customer-centric’ retailer has reached a position where any dilution of its ability to optimise customer trust increasingly threatens its bottom line.
- i.e. willing support of their supplier base is vital…
