The groceries sector survey has invited suppliers to tell the Groceries Code Adjudicator how 14 designated retailers treat them. At last, British commerce has found a use for a confidential form besides forgetting a password.
The 2026 survey opened for six weeks and closed on 22 February. Suppliers could share their views confidentially, allowing the Adjudicator to understand retailer behaviour and decide where action might help. It is a rare chance to describe an invoice dispute without first insisting that the email chain felt “really constructive”, preferably before the person responsible changes department.
The survey concerns the Groceries Supply Code of Practice, which sets standards for fair dealing between retailers and suppliers. It does not require anyone to enjoy a delayed payment. It simply gives them a more official sentence than “this is not ideal, Brenda”, assuming Brenda has not been moved to a department that exists only in the footer of an email.
The 2025 results showed that 30% of suppliers reported a Code issue, down from 33% in 2024. More than 90% of suppliers to 13 retailers said those retailers consistently or mostly complied with the Code. These figures suggest progress. They also demonstrate that a pie chart can make a warehouse manager nod with the solemn pride of someone who has finally located the missing pallet.
The Adjudicator says the survey will help set future priorities. YouGov will also interview some respondents after the survey closes, with the results due in spring 2026. Britain has therefore built a careful route from private grumble to official insight. It is customer service for the people who supply the customer service, followed by a second conversation to check whether the first one was sufficiently comfortable.
Confidentiality matters when a small business wants to describe a powerful commercial relationship honestly. Nobody wants a carton of yoghurt overhearing a difficult negotiation and developing a taste for litigation. The supplier gets a voice, although that voice must first squeeze through a form, a review process and the ceremonial queue between “issue” and “action”.
The results may show whether the previous improvement in reported compliance has continued. Until then, suppliers can provide their views in confidence, retailers can await the verdict and the nation can admire a clipboard being asked to hold someone accountable. Somewhere, an invoice is already preparing its statement, and it has more chance of being paid than the person who submitted it.
Source: Groceries Code Adjudicator.
