Amazon now bound by the Groceries Supply Code of Practice

From Tuesday (1), Amazon has become the 14th retailer to be bound by the Groceries Supply Code of Practice.

The move follows the Competition and Markets Authority to designate Amazon as a grocery retailer last month.

The code, which applies to retailers with an annual turnover of more than £1 billion from grocery sales, restricts firms from making changes to supply contracts at short notice. It also requires retailers to give an appropriate period of notice if they no longer want to use a supplier and provide reasons for ending the contract.

Mark White, the Groceries Code Adjudicator said, “Now that Amazon is covered by the Code, I am looking forward to working with their CCO to ensure that they are complying with the Code and treating their suppliers lawfully and fairly.

“As the groceries industry faces a range of challenges, my message to Amazon groceries’ suppliers is to get in touch if you have any Code-related issues. Your feedback is vital for informing my discussions with Amazon.”

White is inviting suppliers to contact the GCA if they have any concerns about how they are being treated by Amazon. All information received is dealt with on a confidential basis as the GCA has a legal duty to preserve anonymity, said an announcement on GOV.UK.