Christine Tacon is to continue as the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) for a period of up to six months in order to provide “continuity and reassurance” to the sector during the coronavirus outbreak.
She had been due to stand down in June after seven years in the role. However, Small Business Minister Paul Scully yesterday confirmed her reappointment to resolve any Groceries Code issues relating to the current crisis.
To support the sector during the pandemic, the government last month temporarily relaxed domestic competition rules so that supermarkets, their suppliers and logistics services providers could work together to respond better to the crisis.
Scully said: “Supermarkets and their suppliers are working flat out to ensure people’s needs are met during this unprecedented time. We are doing everything we can to make it easier for grocery suppliers to do their job, and Christine’s reappointment will provide them with some much-needed continuity and reassurance in what is a very unsettling time.”
Tacon added: “I want to play my part in the response to COVID-19 and so offered to extend my contract in order to provide the continuity the sector needs.”
The government launched a public appointment process in October last year to identify a new GCA. It said yesterday that it expects to make a decision “shortly”.
NAM Implications:
- Patently suppliers and retailers are currently working in good faith and with the best of intentions…
- …but in the uncharted waters of ‘unlockdown’ we will all benefit from Christine’s experience.
