The Albanese Labor Government is cracking down on bad behaviour by supermarkets to make sure customers and farmers are getting a fair deal at the checkout.
Today nominations are opening for a newly established position of Food and Grocery Code Supervisor.
The Food and Grocery Code Supervisor will help implement the new mandatory Food and Grocery Code of Conduct.
The new code will protect suppliers and improve supermarket behaviour by introducing heavy penalties for breaches of the code, a prohibition against retribution, strengthened dispute resolution mechanisms, and other new obligations on supermarkets.
The recently legislated code reflects the Albanese Government’s commitment to implementing all recommendations of Dr Craig Emerson’s independent review of the code and forms part of the Government’s broader agenda to crackdown on anti‑competitive behaviour in the sector.
The Code Supervisor will review dispute resolution processes, identify issues, conduct industry surveys and report on findings.
The new code will come into force on 1 April 2025, replacing the current voluntary code.
The Code Supervisor will have appropriate qualifications, knowledge or experience in procedural fairness and Australian industry, and will have senior management, board or leadership experience with a strong track record of stakeholder engagement to achieve outcomes for the sector and broader community.
Nominations are welcome from experienced individuals to be appointed as the first Food and Grocery Code Supervisor. Expressions of interest will be considered until 7 March 2025 and can be sent to the Food and Grocery Code Secretariat at FGC@treasury.gov.au.