Committee publication · Correspondence · 21 April 2026

Correspondence from Kate Dearden MP, Minister for Employment Rights and Consumer Protection, Dept for Business & Trade, regarding the Report on Fourth Statutory Review of the Groceries Code Adjudicator, dated 14 April 2026

From: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Inquiry: Food supply chain resilience and fairness

Summary

Kate Dearden MP informs the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee of the publication of the fourth statutory review of the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA), covering April 2022–March 2025. The review finds the GCA broadly effective but recommends it address stakeholder concerns about limited use of investigatory powers, supplier fear of reprisals, and transparency of its activities. The government announces the GCA's sponsorship will transfer from the Department for Business and Trade to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to improve coordination with the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator.

Key findings

The GCA is assessed as a broadly effective regulator that adopted a proportionate, collaborative approach and usually resolved issues without arbitration or investigation.
Some stakeholders expressed concerns about the GCA's limited use of investigatory powers and questioned the effectiveness of its regulatory approach.
Suppliers reported fear of reprisals when raising issues with the GCA, potentially deterring reporting and limiting the regulator's access to information.
Respondents raised concerns about confusion between the GCA and ASCA remits and identified emerging supply chain practices not covered by either regime.
The government decided to transfer GCA sponsorship from the Department for Business and Trade to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to streamline oversight and strengthen coordination.

Tone

Procedural

Topics

consumer-protectionretail-supply-chainregulatory-oversightagricultural-policy

Key actors

Kate Dearden MP, Alistair Carmichael MP, Groceries Code Adjudicator, Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator, Department for Business and Trade, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Liam Byrne MP

Notable line

“… the GCA has exercised its powers appropriately and continues to provide an important and effective regulatory function but may wish to consider …”

Key Quotes

“The GCA was established by the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013 ("the Act") which extends to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.”
— Kate Dearden MP · explaining the GCA's statutory basis and remit

“The Review found the GCA to be a broadly effective regulator that made good use of its powers, adopting a proportionate and collaborative approach which usually resolved issues before the need for an arbitration or investigation.”
— Government (via review) · overall assessment of GCA performance

“Consider the concerns expressed by some stakeholders about the GCA's limited use of its investigatory powers; and take any necessary action to ensure the basis and effectiveness of the GCA's regulatory approach in enforcing the Code is well understood.”
— Government (via review) · first key recommendation to the GCA

“… continue considering the concerns of some suppliers about the consequences of raising issues for their businesses; and take any necessary action to ensure suppliers' concerns are not preventing the GCA receiving sufficient information to effectively enforce the Code …”
— Government (via review) · addressing fear of reprisals deterring supplier reporting

“The Government has therefore decided that sponsorship responsibility for the GCA will move from the Department for Business and Trade to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.”
— Kate Dearden MP · announcing the government's decision on GCA sponsorship transfer

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Source · parliament.uk record ↗