A Bill to make provision for the appointment, functions and powers of a Grocery Market Ombudsman; and for connected purposes.
The Bill would establish an independent ombudsman for the grocery market to oversee the operation of the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. The Bill would provide for the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), within three months of the Bill's enactment, to establish the Office of the Grocery Market Ombudsman and a person as the Grocery Market Ombudsman. Although funded by the OFT, the ombudsman would be independent of it and would investigate complaints or disputes referred by the OFT, retailers or suppliers. The ombudsman’s determination would be final and binding on all parties and he/she would have the power to impose monetary penalties and/or costs. The Secretary of State would establish by regulation an appropriate range for such penalties, and would provide for enforcement.
House of Commons
19 April 2010
This bill would create an independent Grocery Market Ombudsman to oversee the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. The Office of Fair Trading would set up the Ombudsman within three months of enactment, funded by the OFT but operating independently, with the power to investigate complaints from the OFT, retailers or suppliers and issue final, binding decisions, including penalties set by regulation.
Currently at Committee stage in the House of Commons.
Generated 21 February 2026
This Bill was presented, through the ballot procedure, to Parliament on 16 December 2009. This is known as First Reading and there was no debate on the Bill at this stage.
This Bill had a Second Reading debate on Friday 5 March.
The 2009-10 session of parliament has prorogued and this Bill will make no further progress.
No recorded votes for this bill yet.
