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Government announces supermarket watchdog
3 August 2010
Commenting on the announcement of a Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) by Business Secretary Vince Cable today, which is to reside within the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), Friends of the Earth's food campaigner Helen Rimmer said:
"This watchdog is a major victory for farmers and shoppers - after years of campaigning by Friends of the Earth and others, the Government has finally taken decisive action to reign in the bully-boy tactics of supermarkets to ensure fairer trading.
"But fixing the food chain doesn't end here - retailers must also pay farmers a fair price for their product so that they don't have to cut costs by importing cheap animal feed from South America that is wiping out forests.
"Instead of using taxpayers money to prop up damaging factory farming, the Coalition should support farmers to feed our farm animals home-grown diets and ensure less but better quality meat and dairy is provided in our hospitals and schools."
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
1. Friends of the Earth initiated the campaign for a supermarket ombudsman in 2003, when it called for an investigation into the abuse of power by major chains.
2. Friends of the Earth's Food Chain Campaign is calling on the Coalition Government to back planet-friendly farming. See www.fixthefoodchain.com for more information.
If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.
Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Aug 2010
